Chosen Chronicles
by Cucumba
Summary: The planet known as Tetra has been controlled by the darkness known as Blackheart, the truest of evil from within it's world created by the gods. But soon, it's reign will soon end by the hand of the Mass(Mace) Chokion, wielder of the Moon Spear that wa created by the gods itself. Will he be able to revive his home back to what it once was, despite the costs? Read to uncover it all
1. Prolouge

**_Tetra - Ruins of Atlantica _**

The sky was filled with shadows, with dark clouds helping the dark atmosphere, covering a destroyed city that held nothing but remains of buildings that were still standing, but broken, and some that had tumbled over and was covered with water, the purest there ever was. Inside the water had small spiritual particles come out and some in which floated around each other, creating a small dance, before they entered the dark and gloomy sky, hoping to create a light but failed for the sun never shone. The partials did however light up the dark area, creating small blooms of light with a campfire near a camp, seeing five humanoid being near it.

Two of them were small little robots, one being White with one antenna, while the other was Blue and had two along with it's tongue out. One was a female elf that was at least fourteen with Grey hair and had one White and Black eye while she wore a Grey skirt, same colored top that also showed off her stomach, and had a large staff on her back. There was another one that was around the same age but had Black hair, which was sticking up a bit, with the same colored eyes, as he also wore a Red jacket with Black pants, Brown boots, and had a large Black sword on his back, along with having a certain abnormal apperance. And then there was the main one, the leader, for he had White hair that went straight up, had one Red eye and one Dark Blue, as he also wore a Blue jacket but had Black sleeves, with Blue boots, Black pants, backpack, and scarf. They all stared at the fire, with the White haired one staring at it.

**...Listen to my story, or maybe all of our stories. I'm not sure if anybody can really hear me, or know what's happening. I guess you can call this a flashback or something cool like that. It's a first for me doing this, so I might as well give this a shot because...This maybe the final time I may tell it. My own story. Let me tell you...Tell you from the very beginning.**

The boy with the White hair looked from the camp fire to the sky, thinking about it's darkness.

**For the longest amount of time, we were only nothing but a bit of space; Space in which there was nothing to create us, with the exception of our gods; Two of them. There was Ultor; the god of the sun, and Aurora; The goddess of the moon. But sooner or later came darkness, a creation of all of the shadows from lights our gods created. Both of them combined their powers with all materials that roamed the space, creating a world; A world we called Tetra, which was also use to imprison the darkness from inside. Over the millions of years, humans and other races began to populate and created cities, towns, and settlements. A world with no darkness and filled with light, but one night... That lights was shattered.**

He kept looking at the dark sky, seeing the spiritual particles still flying.

**The darkness within the world broke through it's crust, a being we call Blackheart, and began to destroy any amount of humans, starting with my home, Atlantica. All of those who survived the attack were enslaved, same with anyone who died, turning them into his own beings; Shadows. Everyone, including my family, was killed, except for me...For I was only a baby. With his army of Shadows, he began to rule over Tetra, making it his kingdom of power and destruction; The Redrian Kingdom. Anyone who he turned into his own sent them to kill of any others, turning them into Shadows themselves. More and more humans started to lessen, and all we've become are small portions of what we were before.**

He stared at the sky more before getting up and walking to the watery lake, to which only the elf noticed and watched.

**And then...I was created. The only solution to the darkness then fading back to light, and to bring back what was rightfully created in Tetra. My name...**

He walked over to the side now, seeing the particles coming out of the water still and thunder in the distance while he held onto a Dark Blue diamond sphere.

**...Is Mass Chokion. And this...This is my story.**

_**X~Chosen Chronicles~X**_


	2. The Message and Dreams

_**Many Days Ago  
>?<strong>_

**"Wake up Mass..."**

His eyes suddenly opened widely, waking him as he saw he was lying down on an old single bed inside an old ship, containing multiple windows for it was dark outside.

"Huh? What?" Mass asked while he looked around until he stopped to see Aurora, a young adult woman with long angelic Light Blue hair and wore White robes, surprising him. "Aurora? But...How..." She only smiled and walked through the door, urging him to get up. "Hey! Wait!" He quickly ran to the door and went through it, seeing the outside was no a boat but now in space. Inside the large area had floating light panels that spun, along with astroids. "WHAT THE?! I'M IN SPACE?!" The door suddenly closed behind him and faded away, with him looking with wide eyes. "This...This can't be real...It's a dream..."

**"A dream to help recover all lost dreams, young one." **

His eyes widened more by hearing that as the floating platforms suddenly stopped and arranged into a fleet of stairs, indicating him to go up to a glowing platform, the same kind he was on. He slowly walked to and up the stairs in worry while in the distance, Light Blue and Orange light waves roamed around the area and twirled with each other as he only watched until he finally got onto the platform Auroran wanted him to go onto.

"Alright...I'm here. What is it?" Mass asked while he looked around the area before his eyes caught a stream of darkness coming out of the light, floating around aimlessly as if it had a mind of it's own.

_"The day in which you will rid the world of it's darkness will soon arrive." _

He looked around, knowing it was another voice.

"Is that...Ultor?" Mass asked himself in wonder.

_"The flame in which embeds your very soul will guide you through the darkness that is Tetra's lost hope."_

**"But to regain that hope, you need strength. To acquire strength, you need skill. To acquire skill, you must relearn all that is in your bloodline." **

"Bloodline? You mean... My dads?" Mass asked in question as a bright light came out, leaving behind a metal sword that was carved with a crescent moon guard, making him stare at is before walking over and grabbing it, shocking him with a small amount of Light Blue and Orange energy. "AH! W-what is this?!"

_"The tool to assist in your conflicts. To conflict against the conflict of multiple conflicts. Let the light that shines in your blade guide you through battle."_

**"Become one with your weapon; The weapon that is one with your soul. Can you turn your soul into your own power?"**

"Wait...What the heck do you mean by THAT?" Mass asked while behind him, one part of the darkness shot out a needle at the ground, creating a small, Black, sinister-like creature from and out of the ground, to which it prepared its claws and attempted to hit him, only for him to notice and swung his sword at him in surprise, destroying it in one swipe. Seeing this surprised him as he looked at the blade. "Whoa..."

**"Your isolation has not wavered your spirit to fight. Well done. But more than one simple shadow will be in the way of your path."**

"You mean there's more?!" He asked with a sigh wile the darkness began to shoot more needles at the ground, creating more of the same copy of shadows and destroying the platform he was on little by little, to which he didn't notice as he just kept swinging his sword around so he could destroy more of the shadows, with him succeeding more and more with ease.

_"You are doing well, but remember of your surrounding. Your opponent will use such to their advantage."_

"Use what?!" Mass asked in shock as the shadows faded into the shadows, destroying the platform he was on more and more.

_"Know this to your advantage. Your very soul is in this world. If your soul dies, your life from the outside ends, burning away your light. Keep it alive and rested within yourself."_

"I WHAT?!" He screamed until the shadows finally destroyed the platform, making him fall through the gravity filled space while yelling until he saw an asteroid from below, with him gripping on his sword and stabbed it into the side. Doing this made him suddenly stop, nearly making his hand slip from the handle of his sword but kept his grip and lept on top of it, to which he started to breath heavily. "Man...Talk about a close call..." The astroid began to break, making his eyes widened as he jumped off, falling with nothing to save him while he body began to be covered in darkness, making him resist by swinging his sword and yelling until his weapon glowed, ridding the darkness and created a glowing platform, with him stopping to look around.

**"Your light is strong. But in due time, that light will soon become a light of all lights."  
><strong>  
>"A light...Of all lights?" Mass asked while also getting up and looked around.<p>

_"But know...That the stronger your light becomes...The more darkness grows."  
><em>  
>"What do you..." Mass asked before he saw a shadow coming out of the ground by his shadow, shocking him to see this for the shadow looked much like Mass but was Black and has a Red and Black aura surrounding it, along with growling lowly. "What...What are you?"<p>

**"The darkness within your heart; Darkness of the light bearer."  
><strong>  
><em>"To become one with the light, you must cleanse your very soul."<br>_  
>The shadow Mass slowly growled loudly while the aura grew largely, making it bigger along with melting into the ground, surprising Mass.<p>

"HOLY!" He yelled as the shadow attempted to smash him, only to which he dodged by rolling out of the way, gripping onto his sword. "Oh, so it's gonna be like that, huh? Alright! Let me who you I really am!" The shadow only growled in response before throwing it's large arms at him, to which he dodged them as well and ran away momentarily before swinging his sword, cutting off it's arm as it screamed along with forming dark tendrils from the stub and swung around to his Mass, with it succeeding as he rolled over on the ground and dropped his sword. "Oh crap!" He quickly got up and ran to it, only to be cut off by the tendrils and making the platform crumble.

_"Do not stand there and let what is happening to you occur. Fight to keep the fire within your soul alight."_

"How am I gonna do THAT?!" Mass asked before seeing his sword with the ruins, making him jump over the tendrils to grab it, but began to fall with the remains until he stabbed his sword into a part of the platform, and looked at the shadow after he got up with the sword in hand. "What now?!" The shadow roared loudly again as it swung the tendrils around, hitting the platform and making it crack more and more while he swung his sword to cut them, and when he got the chance, he cut through the other arm, amputating the shadow while it screamed more. "What's wrong? That all you got? I thought you'd handle somebody as cool as me!"

**"Do not let your chance of victory lose your concentration. It can be your downfall."**

"Oh come on! I'm nearly done with this-" Mass said until he was hit by a tendril, knocking him over again and making his sword slide across the platform, near and balancing on an edge, making his eyes widen. "Oh c'mon!" He quickly tried to run and grab it but the sword then fell over, into the dark abyss as he only stared in shock. "Oh no..." He slowly looked at the shadow, with it roaring again and destroyed more of the platform, making him scared. "No...No..."

**"Do not be afraid of the darkness, Mass Chokion. Your light is strong on the outside world."**

The platform finally broke apart, with Mass starting to fall and felt like he was doing so in slow motion while screaming.

_"The light within your soul is the one to guide you, regardless of the darkness within."_

He kept falling while staring at his shadow, seeing it's dark and evil filled eyes while darkness began to cover Mass.

**"You are the chosen one. The one in which will dispel the darkness created in Tetra."**

_"You are the wielder of light; A light of lights like no other."  
><em>  
>Mass kept staring until he was fully filled with darkness.<p>

_**"Become what what flows through your veins. **__And awaken from your slumber of lost hope; Mass Chokion." _


	3. Chosen By the Gods

"Hey Mass! Wake up!" An Australian voice yelled, making Mass suddenly wake up and look around to see the ship he was in, normal.

"Huh?!" Mass asked before he looked around more to see a man around his thirties with Brown hair in dreadlocks, a Black shirt, Brown pants, Green robotic arms, and Brown boots. "Haruma... You're here!"

"Of course I am mate. I always was." Haruma said with a smirk, which then faded away. "What the hell made you think that?"

"You don't remember anything?! Our ship being in space, a black shadow trying to kill me and..." Mass tried to say until he just stared at Haruma, in which he held a expression of complete confusion.

"What...Are you bloody talking about?" He asked while shaking his head. "You really gotta lay off that shrimp or something."

"You mean...You don't know what I'm talking about?" Mass asked until he looked outside the window, seeing the ocean that they were on. _"Was...It a dream?"_

"Nah mate. You must have really ate more than you should have." Haruma said while crossing his arms. "Anyway, you best get up. Bolt and Barb is waiting outside."

"Everyone?" Mass asked until something popped into his head. "Yeah! Alright. I'll...Be out in a bit."

"Don't take too long. You already burned enough daylight." Haruma said as he walked out, leaving Mass alone.

**Haruma was somebody that found me and other people on here since the beginning of the destruction of Tetra. From what I heard, a few...Well, call me crazy if you want, robots helped me when I was only a baby. It's kind of ironic if you think about it. Most robots on Tetra hated humans, but yet some of them saved me. Crazy, huh?**

Mass only sat there on his bed, staring through the window still.  
><strong><br>"Do not be afraid of the darkness, Mass Chokion. Your light is strong on the outside world."**

_"The light within your soul is the one to guide you, regardless of the darkness within."  
><em>**  
>"You are the chosen one. The one in which will dispel the darkness created in Tetra."<strong>

_"You are the wielder of light; A light of lights like no other."  
><em>  
><em>"That dream...Was it real? What was it all about?" <em>He thought to himself before he shook that thought out of his head, got up, and walked out of the ship, seeing the outside for he was in the middle of the ocean.

"Hey! Over here!" A voice yelled, making Mass look to see Haruma with the small Blue and White robots, with him smiling and walking over.

"Mass! You're awake!" The Blue one said while jumping around.

**The Blue one is, who was called Codename: Slicer. But we call him Barb, mostly because he has some sort of attraction toward pointy objects for some reason. Never really understood him too much. He was a lose nut if you ask me, forget the pun.**

"It's good to see you are awake Sir Mass." The White one said as well.

**And that's Codename: Blaster. Or he can be called Bolt. Because... Well he can blast anything into a pile of bolts. I know, the puns get old.**

"Good to see ya too Bolt." Mass said with a smile, then looked at Haruma. "Anyway, I'm here now."

"Yeah, and it's good that you are now. Because now we're now low on food to eat for tonight, and we're gonna need every bit of all of your help for this." He said while looking at the ocean. "It's getting harder and harder to find any food while we're further and further in the ocean thanks to those Shadows. They're really persistent I will say."

"Yeah, don't worry. We'll find something out here." Mass said while he looked at the ocean. "What will you be doing?"

"I'm going to keep this boat going, see if we can reach mainland by any means. Maybe at that point we can find some shelter or anything regarding that and move on from there. Because this ship is getting more and more unstable as the days go by. We wouldn't get far by swimming." Haruma said.

"I agree. You just keep the boat in motion and we'll handle the food." Bolt said with a nod, then looked at Barb. "I think maybe it's best if you just help Haruma by any means."

"AAAW! BUT WHY?!" He asked in a squeaky voice.

"Because the last time ya did, you became the fish on the hook instead of the actual fish itself." Mass said, making Barb look down in defeat. "You just let me and Bolt handle the food."

"Ok..." Barb said while Haruma walked to the steering wheel of the ship with him following, and both Mass and Bolt walking inside to grab fishing rods.

"Alright...You just fish for some food while I scan for anything." Bolt said, with Mass nodding and grabbing a fishing rod, and the two of them walked down to the bottom and opened a hatch from underneath, revealing moving water. "Well, time to get started, eh?"

"Yeah...Right." Mass said as he started to fish through the hatch, with Bolt looking at him to see confused expression on him.

"Is something the matter?" He asked.

"Well...Bolt." Mass said before looking at him. "Have you ever had, or heard of a dream that feels real?"

"I...Do not understand on what you are saying." Bolt said.

"I mean...A dream where you think it's a lot like real life? Where...You can die in a dream?" Mass asked while he kept fishing, leaving Bolt to stare at him.

"I...Have not heard of such thing. Why? Did you have that experience?" He asked, to which Mass nodded. "Would you like to explain this illusion from your subconscious?"

"I...Don't even know really. All I remember is falling, and voices talking to me. I'm not sure what it was about." He said as he rubbed his head. "It was all so weird. I've been having them for the past while now, the same one over and over. It's like something is trying to tell me something."

"Really? That is rather strange. Have you told Haruma about this?" Bolt asked, with Mass shaking his head. "You probably should tell him. This seems a bit dangerous with your mental health."

"Maybe...But-" Mass said until the ship suddenly shook, shocking and surprising them. "What the?! What's going on?!"

"I don't know! Let's go!" Bolt yelled as they quickly ran up to the top to see a part of the ship destroyed and a large Black mist, with both Haruma and Barb staring at it.

"What's going on here?!" Mass asked in shock.

"The Shadows...They found us! They found our location!" Haruma yelled while taking off his sword from his back, a Brown Broadsword as the mist formed quickly into a large Black shadow, with it roaring and making Mass recognize the beast; It was the very same one from his dream. "Come on you bloody Shadow! Let me show ya how we do things!" He quickly ran to the shadow while screaming before swinging his sword at it, but he was knocked over and hit the wall, with the sword stabbing to the ground next to Mass.

"Haruma!" Barb yelled as he ran over to him and tried to wake him up, with Bolt then grabbing his arm and pressing a button, transforming his arm into a blaster.

"Mass! Looks like we're the only ones that can stop this thing!" Bolt said while Mass stared at the Broadsword and did nothing.

**"Become one with your weapon; The weapon that is one with your soul. Can you turn your soul into your own power?"**

He stared at it more until he grabbed it, feeling it was heavy but ignored it as he aimed it at the shadow.

"Right! Let's cut this thing to bits!" Mass yelled as he ran to the shadow and dodged it's attack after it threw it's claws at him, to which he countered by cutting off a finger, making it scream and shoot tendrils out, hitting and making him roll around on the ground but stopped him by stabbing the sword into the ground, destroying the wood but mad him stop. At the same time, Bolt began to rapidly shoot electrical bullets at the shadow, shocking and making it scream more.

"How about that you monster?!" Bolt asked as he kept shooting rapidly, with the shadow screaming more until it shot a tendril at the wood, making a trail of shadow spikes toward him, to which he saw in shock. "Oh boy!" He quickly ran away from the spikes as best as he could but he saw that they were following him now, shocking and surprising him. "Aw for oils sake!" He kept running away as quickly as possible before charging up his blaster and jumped off the boat, with the trail of shadow spikes falling off the boat along with him, and he shot the blast, giving enough force to send him back onto the ship. "Ha ha! Take that!" At the same time, a tendril slammed Bolt onto the ship, stunning him as he was about to be smashed but Mass came in and slashed through it's hand now.

"No way in hell are you doin' that!" He said while the shadow just screamed in anger shot out tendrils, knocking Mass back to the wall and stunned him.

"MASS!" Bolt yelled in shock before looking at the shadow in anger and got up. "Alright! Now you asked for it!" He charged up his blaster for a long period of time, with small bits of electricity coming out, and shot it at the shadow, electrocuting it before it was covered in Red electricity. "What the..." It suddenly shot out from the shadows chest, hitting Bolt as he too was then being electrocuted and sent back into the wall, broken as Mass then saw this in shock.

"BOLT!" He yelled as he looked at the shadow, with it roaring as it summoned waves of shadows toward Mass, beginning to cover him. "G-Get this off of me!" He tried to resist the darkness by swinging the broadsword, but it began to overcome him. _"N-No! I-I can't let this happen! This is...Just like...In the dream..." _His vision began to blur, being covered in pure darkness.

**"Do not be afraid of the darkness, Mass Chokion. Your light is strong on the outside world."  
><strong>  
><em>"The light within your soul is the one to guide you, regardless of the darkness within."<br>_  
><strong>"You are the chosen one. The one in which will dispel the darkness created in Tetra."<strong>

_"You are the wielder of light; A light of lights like no other."_

_**"Become what what flows through your veins. **__And awaken from your slumber of lost hope; Mass Chokion."  
><em>  
>He saw a certain Blue light within the darkness, catching Mass's attention as what appeared to be spirit particles started to consume it, making the light brighter until the darkness around him exploded, covering him the same colored aura. The aura glowed brightly along with the broadsword, transforming it into a new weapon; A White sword-like spear with the blade being a Light Blue crescent moon, until it faded away with him looking at it.<p>

"Whoa...What is this thing?" Mass asked while he continued to observe it, then looked at the shadow for it screamed, not at him but by the weapon. "Bring it! See if you can beat me now ya creep!" It only roared in response as it swung it's other hand toward him, only for him to dodge and swing the weapon as a counterattack, cutting a part of the hand but suddenly vaporized the entire arm, making it scream as he stared at it then to the weapon. "Whoa...You're amazing..." He looked at the shadow again for it then shot tendrils from the amputated places toward him, only for him to attempt to cut them for experimentation, making then tendrils vaporize as well in light for it pained the shadow more, making it vulnerable. "Now it's my turn!" He quickly ran to the torso of the shadow and began to slash the weapon across, leaving slashes of light to destroy the shadow more until he stabbed it, creating a large explosion of energy as it consumed the shadow and deteriorated it, leaving nothing behind except spirit particles flying away while he only stared at where it was. "Wow...That was...Awesome." At the same time, Haruma began to get up and looked around, seeing Barb in shock.

"W-W-Whoa..." He said, with Haruma looking to see what was in Mass's hands.

"Mass...You...You're...Bearing the Moon Spear... Chosen by the gods..." He said, with Mass looking at it.

"Moon Spear?" He asked before it flashed into a bright light, disappearing, then looked at him. "What do you mean by that; Chosen by the gods?" Haruma stared at him, then at the broken Bolt, surprising him.

"Look. Let's just get this ship to where there could be people so we can get Bolt repaired while I explain to you what you just got-" He tried to say before the boat began to shake again, making them look around in fear. "There's more of them?! Give me a break!" Black mist began to consume the ship and swirl like a tornado, creating a whirlpool from underneath as it made the ship spin as well.

"The ship's spinning! The ship is SPINNING!" Barb yelled in fear with a squeaky before the wood on the ship began to fly away, destroying the ship more and more.

"It's destroying the ship! We're going to possibly be lost at sea!" Haruma yelled while Mass began to lose his balance on the ship until it finally happened; He fell over the ship and began to fall into the water, feeling everything in slow motion as both Haruma and Barb yelled for him until he was taken into the whirlpool, fading into Black.

**Since that day, I somehow didn't feel as human as I did before. Like I was less of what I am. I didn't know what to think or how to feel. My mind was just running all these questions of what happened, and what I was given. I asked myself on what Haruma said when he said I was 'Chosen by the gods', and what this Moon Spear was. But I had to face something now; That my questions were probably never going to be answered, and that I couldn't see him, Bolt, or Barb ever again. **


	4. Isolation

**_Ruins of Atlantica_**

From the outside, near the edge, of the old ruins of Atlantica, it contained a Black Castle filled with multiple towers and shadows, covering the area while a humanoid being with Black hair and Purple demonic eyes, along with wearing a Black robe. He only stared at the outside in complete silence, hearing the waves of wind and watched the lake filled with spiritual particles flying around until he opened his eyes and stared in the distance.

_"What...What is this feeling in the distance?"_ The being thought to himself in question, still staring until he turned, closed his eyes, and walked away into the darkness filled hallways for he also blended into the environment. He walked further and further while the Shadows watched him alongside, with one in particular doing the same; The shadow had Black hair that was sticking up, along with being covered slightly in darkness. "You sense it as well, Koda?"

"The light in the distance? There has never been something such as that in the longest amount of time. Not for thousands of years." Koda said while looking outside, staring at the spirit particles as well. "Do you fear it, Master Blackheart?"

"...Exactly what do you mean of that statement?" He asked.

"The light that is created in the distance, it's a light that both Ultor and Aurora have created onto one person. It's gift and curse." Koda explained. "I question you again; Do you fear it?" Blackheart only stood there, listening. "The gods were the one to seal you away with the power that is put into one person's hands, and the very same that sealed you inside Tetra."

"I know of my history." Blackheart said suddenly, silencing Koda. "There is nothing to worry about regarding it. Because the wielder is only a human, comparing to a being of pure darkness. Not only of this, but it will be sorted of soon. The wielder potentially does not know on how to use it's power, it would only make their efforts a waste."

"Then what do you plan to execute then?" Koda asked.

"I want you to watch over this being. Observe to see if I am correct onto what I am saying, if this being is as weak as I may say." Blackheart said, with Koda nodding.

"I...Understand. I will let you know of any news." He said as he looked outside again and walked out, revealing to also have Shadow-like looks on his face and Black spikes coming out of the shoulders of his Red jacket. He quickly turned into a Black mist and flew away, leaving Blackheart standing there as he continued to walk away.

**_?_****  
><strong>  
>There was a large beach that was still covered in the dark sky, and the water was on the shore, along with the unconscious Mass.<p>

**I never remembered what happened after that attack. But there was one thing that remained: Just by how strange everything was getting, more than usual. **

Mass slowly began to wake up, making him cough out sea water as it fully woke him up, to which he looked around slowly.

"Where...Where am I?" He asked before getting up, looking around more. "Haruma?! Bolt! Barb! Anyone here?!" He kept looking, but then remembered what happened on the ship, making him look down. "They're gone... Out there in sea..." He looked in front of him now, seeing a large jungle. "Well...I guess I better find somewhere to stay for a while." He began to walk inside the jungle, hoping to find anything around while staring at his hand. _"Just what was that a bit ago? That weapon, the Moon Spear, was it? How did I do it?" _His foot then hit something, with him seeing it was a medium-sized stick, picked up as if he was holding it like a sword, and began to swing it around, waiting for it to turn into the weapon but nothing happened. "Nothing, huh? Damn it." He tossed it to the side and kept walking until he heard a noise on one of the bushes, making him look but another noise came onto another.

He looked at the other while there was now Black waves on the ground, waving around until it formed small Shadows, the same types in his dream, surprising him until the Moon Spear brightly appeared in his hands, with him looking.

"It's here again!" Mass said to himself before one of the shadows leaped toward him, making him counter it with swinging the Moon Spear at it, cutting and vaporizing it into spirit particles while another one leaped as well, to which he flipped backwards so he could dodge and aimed his weapon at it. "Come on! Let's see what you've got!" He took his battle stance as the shadow leaped again, only for him jumped backwards again but then charged at and stabbed it right through, making it scream and implode into spirit particles, bringing a smile onto his face and looked at the last Shadow. "You're all that's left now! Let's get this over with!" The shadow only stared at him until it screamed loudly, with some of the spirit particles from the shadows joined into it, making it larger and growing muscles, surprising him. "Oh boy..."

The shadow then stopped growing but now roared as it charged at Mass, hitting and sending him back, but recovered by flipping and landed on his feet. But once he did this, he looked up to see the shadow leaping at him again, only to dodge it at the very last second and stopped it's claw with the Moon Spear and swung it so it could vaporize it's fingers, making it scream as it back handed him in the face, sending him back and hitting a tree. He slowly began to slouch down onto the ground against the tree, but got up and gripped on the Moon Spear tightly while staring at the overpowered shadow until it was suddenly struck with thunder, making it scream as Mass looked at the owner of the spell; For it was a person wearing a White mask, Red robes, Cowboy hat, Grey pants and boots, along with a Silver Longsword, showing it was a Red Mage.

The Red Mage stared at the shadow, Mass, and finally the Moon Spear, surprising the person but look back at the shadow, walked over and aimed it's sword at it.

"A Red Mage helping me? Awesome!" Mass said with a large smile as he then looked at the shadow, for it now had a burn mark on it's face, seeing it then form a tendril with it's hands and began to swing it around, with the Red Mage quickly jumping away with Mass, covered it's blade with ice, and slashed across the tendrils to prevent being hit along with freezing the Shadow before aiming fire at Mass and shooting it. Mass kept dodging the tendrils until he noticed what was heading to him with wide eyes. "What the hell?! I thought you were on my side!" He quickly attempted to stop the fire with his Moon Spear by swinging it back, but the element absorbed from within, covering it. "What the..." He looked at the shadow, seeing it was now starting to be covered in ice, freezing it as he realized what the Red Mage was doing. "I get it! Fire is weak against ice!" The ice fully covered the shadow and he swung the fire filled Moon Spear across it, melting and shattering the ice, destroying the shadow from within and made it multiple spirit particles.

Mass landed onto the ground while the fire on his Moon Spear faded away along with the weapon itself in a flash of light, and began to breath heavily.

"Man! Talk about a close one!" He said before looking at the Red Mage with a smile. "I really owe you! Thanks!" It was then the Red Mage aimed it's longsword at him, making his eyes widen. "Oh you've GOT to be kidding me."

"...You are the Moon Spear wielder." The Red Mage, which appeared to sound like a female, said, keeping Mass standing there. "You are coming with me."

"What? Hell no! After what you're pulling, no way in Auroras full moon am I going with you!" He said in anger. "In fact, somebody I knew talked about it as if it's special as well! Why are you guys so freaking obsessed with it?!"

"Please come with me. I will explain all about-" The Red Mage tried to say.

"Like hell you are! You think I'm gonna follow someone that just comes out of the blue and points a sword at me?!" Mass asked before shaking his head. "I'm glad you helped me, but I'm going to find somewhere that I know someone won't pull a sword on me after just helping me!" The Red Mage only stared at him through her mask until she sighed and walked over to him, making him walk back a bit but she was close enough to be near him.

"...Sorry." She said until she suddenly hit him in the neck, sending a wave of shock to him but felt his consciousness slip away as he then fell to the ground, while another Red Mage with a Purple mask walked to her.

"Is this person who we think he is?" The other Red Mage, who was a male, asked.

"He is the one who wields the Moon Spear. Chosen by the gods themselves." She said with a nod. "We should take him back. We cannot let him...Let him follow his fate." The man nodded as they both lifted him up and began to take him away, while a shadow watched them; Koda, for he was observing.

"This person...This boy... He appears to have master swordsmanship alongside wielding that weapon. Could...He be the one?" He asked himself.


	5. The Moon Spear's Origins

**_On the Same Island_**

On the very same island Mass was on, which was on the other side, it was revealed that Barb was washed up onto the shore, covered in seaweed until his eyes that were Black and hollow turned into Light Blue and filled with life, with him getting up and shaking his head while making a squeaky noise.

"Huh? Where am I?" He asked while looking around to see the still broken Bolt by his side, lying on the ground. "Bolts ok! But where's Haruma and Mass?" He kept looking until he looked at the jungle, staring at it until he grabbed Bolt's arms and started to drag him through it, looking for any help while he whimpered a bit. "Oh man...Haruma...Mass...Where are you?"

"Excuse me. Are you looking for someone?" A female voice asked, which was New Zealand accent, making Barb jump, stop, and slowly look behind him to see that it was a fourteen year old girl, who was a elf, that had Grey hair, skirt, top that revealed her stomach, White robes, and had a staff on her back. Seeing Barb made her eyes widen. "Oh. You're a robot. I'm surprised to see you in a place like this. It's unlike you." She crouched down to look at him in the eyes. "What's your name?"

"B-Barb." He said nervously. "What's yours?"

"Marine." Marine said with a smile before looking at the broken Bolt. "Is he your friend?" Barb looked at him, then back at her with a nod. "What happened to him?"

"A shadow attacked us on a ship! He was hit and... It destroyed our ship. I'm looking for two of my other friends, but I don't know where they went..." He said while looking around. "I'm by myself, and I don't know where to go to help my friend."

"Well, if it helps you by any means, we can help repair him for you. After that I can help find your friend." Marine said, making him look at her with his eyes filled with more life.

"Really?!" He asked as she nodded, making him jump up and down happily. "Thank you so much! Take us there please!"

"Ok. Just follow me and we'll be sure to get your friend help in no time!" Marine said with a smile and began to run to the location girlishly, catching Barb's attention.

"Hey! Wait for me!" He yelled as he grabbed Bolt's arms and drug him quickly so he could catch up to her.

_**?**_

Mass slowly began to wake up, with his vision blurred to see he was inside a bedroom that contained two Red figures, revealing themselves to be Red Mages for one of them was the one that helped him.

"Can he really be him? He's young. I don't think he is capable of-" The male tried to say.

"Believe me when I say this. That boy has power and strength compared to the others, possibly stronger than the previous users." The female, the one who helped him, said back. "Did you ever remember what became of them? The way they were-" The male looked at Mass, seeing him awake, making his eyes widen. "He's awoken!" The female looked as well and they drew their blades at him in fear.

"Hey! Whoa now! Calm it! I'm not a threat!" Mass yelled while shaking his head, indicating them to stop. "I'm not a bad guy. Not like whatever the 'Previous Users' like you said or whatever."

"No...That is not what we mean." The female said while keeping her sword pointed at him for a while, then slowly began to lower and put them up. "Who are you? And how did you get that weapon?"

"How about you tell ME who you guys are? You especially!" Mass said to the woman. "You were the one that knocked me out just because I wouldn't go with you, you at least owe me something!" She stared at him, sighed, and removed her mask, revealing her to be a female elf with White hair and eyes.

"My name is Snow; A Red Mage." Snow said, with Mass nodding.

"Ok...Now let me ask you something. Why did you knock me out like that? Because I hold this thing?" He asked as he rose his hand, somehow summoning the Moon Spear, making both Snow and the man point their blades at him. "Relax! I'm not going to hurt you!" They stared at him and slowly put their swords down once again. "You guys act as if holding this thing is a sin."

"That's because it is." The male said as he too removed his mask, revealing that it was a male elf with Black hair and dark eyes. "It's both a gift and a curse to it's wielder."

"A gift and a curse? What do you mean by that? You make it sound like as if you know a lot about this." Mass said before letting the Moon Spear flash away into a light.

"It's a cycle created by the gods themselves; Aurora and Ultor, and created by it's opposite; Darkness." The man explained. "It's depressing to see someone as young as you be a victim of it."

"A cycle? What do you mean?" Mass asked while he started to get up. "Tell me...What is this thing? I want to know all about it... I need to know."

"Are...You sure you wish to know? Because it maybe hard to accept and understand." Snow asked, with Mass looking down and nodded. "Ok...You know of the beings known as Ultor and Aurora, correct?" He nodded slowly. "A long time ago, after the darkness was sealed within Tetra. But as life began to grow, darkness began to slowly leak out, wanting to escape, onto anyone that wanted power to take over or destroy, much like Blackheart but only he succeeded. The gods needed to keep any balance of light and darkness so one could not overcome the other, and so... They created the weapon you hold in your hands...The Moon Spear." Mass stared at his hand in thought and wonderment. "The Moon Spear is the most powerful weapon to ever exist in this world, and it is rewarded to those with a being filled with light. It's power is tremendous, but comes at a cost of... Doing a focus done that was chosen by them." His eyes widened before he looked down.

**A weapon made by Aurora and Ultor themselves? Something to balance light and darkness? Doing a focus that they chose for me? What was I even suppose to feel about that? Knowing that I was chosen by something to go against something I probably never stood a chance of? **

"I don't understand..." Mass said while shaking his head.

"I knew it would be hard for you to accept...But like it or not...You are what you are now; A Moon Spear bearer." The male said.

"But...Why me? Why me, of all people?" Mass asked.

"Not even I know for sure. Which is why we wanted you here." Snow said. "We believed that if we told you everything, you might be able to reconsider on being what you are now, and no longer have to worry of what is going on in this world. And...The focus's consequences... We don't want you to go through that." Mass sat there, wondering. "You maybe more powerful than the previous users, for some reason or another, but that doesn't excuse that you have to do this."

"But don't I have to?" Mass asked before looking up at her. "If they chose me to do something... Would I have to follow through?"

"...You don't have to. You're given a choice." The male said, with Mass looking at him. "You have an option of going through with what Ultor and Auroran wanted you to do, and follow the focus they've given you... Or you can pretend all of what we told you never existed, and continue to live your life as a normal human kid. They chose you as the bearer... But they never chose for you to follow something through that they want to. They hold no control of that."

**An option? What other option was there? There was a reason they gave it to me. They gave me a power like no other, something I could use to save what Tetra is now. Isn't that what I owed them? To both Auroran and Ultor and the people on here?**

"I'm...Not sure on what to feel right now." Mass said before getting up. "I think I need to think for a bit. Walk around...Just let all of this sink it..."

"We don't blame you. Just stay within the area. We don't want you out of the area." Snow said, with Mass looking at her.

"Yeah...I will." He said before opening the door and exiting the house, seeing a small town filled with some Red, White, and Black Mages, along with multiple civilians, for which he sighed stressfully and started to walk around the area.

**...But then again, it was hard to really get a clear conscious. Hearing all that happened made me think a lot. About myself, and for what I thought was the right choice. I would not have to deal with what was happening...But the last of us would disappear. Was putting myself in risk when I probably have little to no chance of surviving worth it? Or was I thinking of it all wrong?**

Mass thought more until he was a certain store, one that said 'Magic Store', catching his interest as he entered in, but Marine and Barb were right around the corner and just missed him.

"...So this Mass guy is one of your best friends?" Marine asked, with Barb nodding. "It's kind of ironic considering he's a human. I'm surprised you and him have lived this long out there in the sea."

"There WERE more of us!" Barb said until he looked down slightly. "But Shadows got them. We were all that was left. The last one got us separated." He became slightly sad, with his antennas going down a bit. "I miss Mass and Haruma... I hope their ok."

"I'm sure they are! I mean, who knows, one of them could be here." Marine said with a smile, making Barb look at her. "But right now, let's help repair your friend."

"Ok! Thank you again!" He said as the two of them walked over to a house, showing it was the one containing Snow and her husband, and walked in.

"Mom! Dad! I'm home!" Marine said as they looked at her.

"Marine! It's good to see you're ok." The man said until he noticed Barb, holding Bolt. "And you've brought...Robots here."

"I found them in the jungle a while ago. I figured that...Well maybe he could use some help." Marine said while looking at Barb, then at him. "Is Reakon still around here to fix his friend up?"

"He should be. But you know on how much he dislikes knowing of this without schedule." Snow said.

"I'm sure he'll make this an exception." Marine said until she saw the bed, which Mass was one, all wrinkled and used. "Was someone here?"

"...Yes." The male said, surprising Snow.

"Coal...Please..." She said, but Coal shook his head.

"It's ok...She has to know who is with us right now." He said, making Barb curious.

"Excuse me sir? But was this person fourteen years old and have White hair going up?" He asked, surprising Coal but he nodded, making his eyes filled with life and jump up and down happily. "It's him! It's Mass!"

"You know of him?" Snow asked in question.

"Yeah! He's my best friend! We got separated a bit ago! I can't believe he's here an he's ok!" Barb said happily but then looked at Marine. "Come on! Let's find the guy that'll fix Bolt so we can find Mass!" She stared at him, nodded with a smile, and ran out with Barb to get to Reakon.

"Wait!" Snow yelled but they simply ignored her as they continued, making her sigh. "I worry for Marine...If that robot is true about what he says, I worry for her." At the same time, Marine ran through the town with Barb by her side, which caught some attention, and made it to a small repair store.

"This is the place. So he should be able to help your friend." Marine said, making Barb jump up and down again.

"Yay! Let's go!" He said as the two of them walked in while inside the 'Magic Store' still and looked around through certain books, still in thought.

_"Man...There's a hell of a lot here..."_ He thought to himself while a few books caught his attention, 'Black Magic', 'Skills' and lastly, the one that caught his the most, 'White Magic'. He picked up the book and began to look over it, looking through the list of advanced and basic spells. He kept looking until he saw two of the most basic ones. _"Haste and Cheer, huh? Sounds...Interesting." _He slowly began to read over it, which surprised him for he never read by any means.

**It felt like since I knew what the role Aurora and Ultor gave me, that I felt like this was a part of me was slowly beginning to accept what I am now. Like I was preparing myself for what I'm about to face. Was I really...Nah.**

Mass kept looking through the book while on the outside, Barb and Marine exited the repair shop, with the fixed Bolt.

"...Really? Man...I missed out on a lot." Bolt said while shaking his head, then looked around. "Anyway, it's good to be back and working again!"

"Yeah! It's great!" Barb said happily, then looked at Marine. "Now let's go find Mass! He should be around here!" He looked at the magic store, guessing Mass was in there as they were about to walk over.

"The Shadows! The Shadows found us!" A civilian yelled in fear as the dark waves flowed through the small town, shocking the others as Mass overheard and looked where it came from.


	6. The Decision

"The Shadows! The Shadows found us!" A civilian yelled in fear as the dark waves flowed through the small town, shocking the others as Mass overheard and looked where it came from.

"What the..." He asked himself while most of the citizens ran for their lives except for Bolt, Barb, and Marine.

"Oh man! I JUST got back online!" Bolt said before turning his arm into his blaster, with Marine taking out her staff, but left Barb defenseless as he just looked around. He looked quickly until his eyes caught onto a dagger, with him grabbing it and aiming it at them while shaking.

"I-I'm scared." He said in a bit of fear, but Marine stepped in front of him for protection.

"Don't worry. I'll be sure to protect you two!" She said before twirling her staff around and aimed it at them. "Come on!" The Shadows quickly sprinted toward the group, making her twirl the staff once again and made it glow, creating a Green aura as it summoned a same colored shield to knock them back, surprising the two robots.

"You...You're an Advanced White Mage! You used protective for offensive!" Bolt said in surprise before he prepared his blaster and shot the shadow that was sent back, sending it into others while they kept running toward them as one leaped toward Barb, scaring him.

"Oh no! Oh no!" He said before he quickly swiped the dagger around as it ended up cutting the Shadow in the face, knocking it down and screaming, which caught his attention and made him smile. "I-I did it! That was cool!" He suddenly got a large amount of bravery as he slashed another shadow that was planning to attack him, killing and making it fade into spirit particles, making Bolt smile.

"Alright Barb! You're doing it!" He said while another Shadow leaped behind him, about to attack and saw it at the very last second, but it was suddenly slashed in half, making it explode into light and spirit particles, catching everyone's attention.

"What...Was that?" Marine asked as they all looked to see the source of it, for it was crouching down and slowly began to get back up, revealing to be Mass, but she noticed the Moon Spear in his hands, making her eyes widen. "That's the..."

"Mass! You're here!" Barb said happily, surprising Marine while Mass looked at him and smiled.

"Hey guys! Good to know you're ok!" He said with a smile, then noticed some of the Shadows starting to combine into another one. "Oh boy... Here we go. Everybody get ready!" The Shadows finally began to group up, creating a darkness like sludge from the ground as tendrils tried to swing around.

"What the...What is that thing?!" Marine asked in complete shock.

"Your guess is as good as mine! But lets save the questions for later!" Mass yelled as the tendrils suddenly came out and swiped around the area, to which he grabbed Barb and jumped away, leaving both Marine and Bolt to jump away to dodge it. However, the tendrils then grew out smaller tendrils and began to swipe around, making it harder for them to dodge while Bolt began to shoot with his blaster so he could counter them, but they were moving too fast for a clear shot.

"Oh come on! Stand still!" He said while he kept blasting until he was hit with a tendril sending him back before Marine twirled her staff to create a reflective shield behind him, ricocheting him back to which surprised him. "What the?!" He looked over to Marine, seeing she did it, and nodded. "Thanks!" He charged up his blaster as best as he could while above the shadow, and blasted it to the fullest of it's power, hitting and hurting the shadow for it was screaming and reacted by attempting to hit Bolt but Mass, who was holding Barb, quickly spun around and threw him while he held the dagger in hand. While he was flying, Barb slashed through the tendrils to prevent Bolt from being hit and grabbed him to get them out of the way whilst the Shadow screamed in pure pain.

"We're getting to him! Now it's time to try something new!" Mass said before landing and then looked at his hand, then to the Moon Spear as it glowed slightly, helping him create a Cyan colored energy into his hand, catching Marine's attention and surprised her.

"I-Is that White Magic?!" She asked, catching Bolt's attention.

"Is he really?! He never used that before!" He said as the White Magic in Mass's hands formed into light sparkles and a Red sphere quickly surrounding him.

"Let's do some Haste and Cheer!" Mass said before the spell faded away, with him getting ready to run. "Ready? Go!" He quickly ran with a flash behind him and began to slice and dice through the shadow at a quick speed, cutting through the tendrils as it screamed loudly while light from the more powerful cuts began to blind it. Mass kept slashing through the shadow until he quickly jumped over, landed, jumped while spinning with the Moon Spear out, and finally slashed through the center of it, overcoming the Shadow with light as it only screamed until it exploded into a large amount of light, leaving behind spirit particles.

"Whoa..." Barb said until he started to shake. "That...Was...AWESOME!" Mass landed onto the ground, took out his hand before the Moon Spear landed into it, and smiled at him.

"Yeah, I think so too." He said with a smile while any of the running civilians slowly walked back to them, and saw the Moon Spear in a bit of fear.

"The Moon Spear...The poor boy..." One person said.

"He was chosen... My word..." Another said while Mass looked at the Moon Spear as it faded away into light, with both Coal and Snow walking over and crouched down to Marine in worry.

"Marine! Are you ok? Nothing hurt you, right?" Coal asked while observing her, with Marine resisting a bit.

"I'm ok! Like always!" She said before looking at Mass, then at Barb. "Is he really your friend?"

"Yeah! This is Mass!" He said while both Bolt and Barb stood by Mass's side. "He's...Family." Mass looked around to see everyone staring at him in worry, catching Snow's and Barb's attention. "Why is everybody looking at you like that? Are they afraid of you?"

"Let's talk about this back in our house. I'll...Explain everything to all of you." Snow said while she walked back to the small house, with them following.

_**Inside the House**_

Both Mass and Snow started to explain everything to Bolt and Barb.

**I thought about what I should do while we explained the situation I was in to them. But the more I explained it to them, the more I felt like as if I was going with it. Was I really thinking of doing it? Or was...Was I just lying to myself?**

"...Oh man...That's bad." Bolt said in a bit of fear, with Barb shaking. "So it's either risk your life for something you have little to no chance of, or let the last of Tetra be consumed with darkness. Either way is bad."

"And...This is what you have to go through?" Marine asked while looking at Mass, with him nodding, then she looked back at Coal and Snow. "You only told me that what they were going through was bad, but...Not this!"

"We know...That's why we didn't want you to know too much of it...What the wielder go through is more than what one person can do. Especially... If it's a fourteen to fifteen year old human." Coal said while looking at Mass. "I know of what you have to go through as of now, but...Have you made your decision?" He stared down in thought, with Bolt and Barb staring at him.

"Mass, whatever choice you make, we'll be with you one hundred percent of the way. We're not leaving you." Bolt said before looking at Barb. "Right?"

"Y-Yeah!" He said, to which he stopped shaking. "We're here for you!" Mass stared at them before looking back down.

**Somewhere in my heart, I knew the answer all along. I knew what I needed to do. It was right there. Right in front of me, and in that battle.  
><strong>  
>He looked up, finally making a choice.<p>

"...I'll do it." Mass said, surprising Marine, Coal, and Snow. "If...There's a small chance of getting Tetra back to normal, then I guess some chance is better than none. Besides...I owe this place, right?"

"I see...If that is your choice." Snow said, making Bolt and Barb look at each other, grabbed their hands, and began to jump and spin around happily.

"We're going to save Tetra! We're going to save Tetra!" They said happily and laughing, making Mass smile.

"When do you plan to go?" Coal asked Mass, with him shrugging.

"Not sure...I'm guessing in a few hours or something." He said, with Coal nodding and getting up.

"Then I shall be coming with you. You will need any support you may need." He said, putting the family in shock.

"Coal, maybe you should-" Snow tried to say.

"I must do this, Snow. If this boy is possibly our last hope to bring Tetra back to what it was before, then I must take this chance and protect him despite my death." Coal said before looking at Mass. "If it is well to join your party." He thought about it for a bit, but stopped with a smile.

"Sure! The more the merrier!" He said, making Marine think about. "Then we'll leave in a few hours!"

"But to where exactly?" Bolt asked, making Mass freeze a bit in thought, then looked at him funnily.

"I...Have NO idea!" He said while rubbing his head. "So...How ARE we going to get over to Blackheart exactly?"

"...This might not be to any use to you, but it might work." Snow said as everybody looked at her. "There is this gem that contains power that only the wielder of the Moon Spear can obtain. It is in Atlantica; The city of sins."

"Atlantica?!" Mass asked in shock. "That's where I was raised! But that place is on a WHOLE different set of islands from here! How will we get over there?!"

"Well...We could try to get to the other side of this island. There's a sort of secret shipping company that goes from one island to the other one right next to it, which is near Atlantica." Coal explained while pacing. "If we could get from that one side of the island to the other, get transport, and move to Atlantica, then we might be able to confront Blackheart."

"You make it sound like as if you planned this." Bolt said. "But hey, if it's a plan, it's a plan."

"So then...We start getting to Atlantica... In a few hours!" Mass said with a smile, while Marine stared at him in thought.

**I knew that this was going to be it. Every single fear the people of Tetra had was soon to be over. It was at that point, I KNEW I made the right choice. For them, and for myself.**

**_Multiple Hours Later_**

"...Are you sure you wish to do this, Coal?" Snow asked as everyone was outside of the house, with all of the commotion now calming down.

"Yes...It it for the best." Coal said while gripping onto her shoulders. "I will be sure to return back home when this is all over. I promise." She only stared at him, but then nodded as he did the same, and looked at Mass, Bolt, and Barb. "Alright, let us go."

"Wait!" A voice yelled, making them look to see Marine. "I'm... I'm coming to!"

"Marine, you are not-" Coal tried to say to her.

"No dad. If I wasn't there to help, one of them wouldn't be here. I'm...More advanced with White Magic than anyone in the family. Maybe...I could help." Marine said, with Mass staring at her for a bit until he smiled and nodded.

"Aw, what the hell? Let's let her come with us." He said, surprising Coal. "I mean, who knows? She'll be able to help us by any means if she's true about it." He sighed and nodded to Marine, making her smile.

"Thanks! I'll be sure to help any way I can!" She said with a smile.

"I'm sure you will." Mass said before looking at Snow. "Anyway, we'll be going now! I'll make sure they're ok!" He turned and walked away, with the other following except for Marine, because she gave Snow ad quick hug and ran to catch up. But in the distance, Koda was watching from within the shadows.

"This guy...He is it. The one to destroy the darkness from this world." He said in amazement. "He's the one to end this nightmare...It's true now..."


	7. Step into the Rainbow

**_Ruins of Atlantica_**

Inside the dark castles, near the edge of the ruins, Blackheart stood inside the darkness with the Shadows keeping him company from within while he kept his eyes closed in thought. He was doing this until he felt another Shadow from within, making his eyes open as the shadow formed to be Koda.

"So, you have returned." Blackheart said, not looking at him. "I've sensed the power from within that human. It feels as if it is getting stronger."

"Yes, that's right." Koda said. "The wielder is becoming slightly more powerful in each battle he fights through. He even seems to have mastered one of the few basic skills of White Magic, with the Moon Spear enhancing it's progress. This person, Mass Chokion, is slowly beginning to learn its power at a young age."

"...You make it sound like it is an answered prayer on your side." Blackheart said, making Koda a bit surprised but didn't show it by expressions. "...Have you forgotten who made you into what you are now, a hybrid of human and darkness? I know every single expression of every shadow I created. Fear, anger, sadness, pain the four emotions that help enhance the strength of and create the shadows. But the emotions inside you, I feel what no other shadow should feel...Hope." There was a silence between the both of them, nobody saying anything. "Do you wish for the wielder to finally defeat me, and put out what I express into this world?" Koda stayed silent. "...It's ironic that a being like yourself would feel such emotions. Hope. You should be aware than no such thing as that will make it far in the world created by my image."

"...It will all end." Koda said finally. "This Mass person will be able to destroy the darkness you created...You created this hell-turned world, and this person will bring it back. Your sins have come back to attack you with the power of Ultor and Aurora."

"Is that what you believe? Is it truly the path you seek as of this day?" Blackheart asked, not looking at Koda still. "If that is what you wish to do, then leave this place so you may follow your path." Koda only stood there, watching before he turned and walked away. "But...Remember..." He stopped so he could listen. "You will now be an enemy to the Redrian Empire. And once you enter the opposing side, nothing will save you from that cause of action." Koda only nodded and continued to walk off, leaving him in the shadows. "...If he is not the one to do such work, then I suppose you will have to yourself." He looked over the corner, seeing a pair of Red eyes. "I suspect you will take care of this child for me?"

"Of course...It is my honor." The voice said, which was a bit Australian.

**_Inside the Jungle_**

"...So to make Haste last longer, you'll need to put in more energy." Marine said to Mass, for they were walking through it with Bolt, Barb, and Coal. "But you have to remember that Magic Energy is a half of your soul. So it can weaken you if it doesn't last longer than you want it to and use it constantly."

"Yeah, I'll try to remember that. But don't guarantee it." Mass said before looking around the jungle and sighed. "Man, getting through this place is taking freaking forever, and it feels like a maze! How much farther until we get to the secret shipping company or whatever it is?"

"Still a long ways. It might take us a few days at best." Coal said back, surprising Mass.

"A few days?! We don't have time for that though! We need to beat Blackheart as fast as possible!" He said impatiently.

"Mass, we're going to be walking for a long time. We won't be able to get there in a single day. It's not possible." Bolt said while he looked around. "Thought I wish that was the case, because a jungle like this is easy to be lost in." He looks at Coal. "Do you know where you're going?"

"Of course. I've been to this area multiple times. I know my way around this area. In fact...We should be able to enter the very mid-section of this jungle right about..." He said before he pushed a large bush to the side, showing the jungle was now turned into a large forest, filled with beautiful waterfalls, flowers, and trees. "...Here." Everyone else stared at the sight with wide eyes, for it surprised them until Mass smiled largely.

"Woo! Talk about awesome! Looks like THIS is where our journey begins!" He said while stretching his arms and began to run through, catching them off guard.

"Mass! Wait!" Barb yelled before he tripped, to which he got up shortly after, and followed him with everyone following him as well while Mass kept running with a smile on his face, observing the looks around the forest.

**For the first time ever in my entire life, I actually felt...Free. The focus I had and with what was going on in Tetra didn't bother me one bit. I felt like as if I was a small kid again. But somewhere inside me told me that...This WAS the one and only time I'll ever get a chance like this in a lifetime. So, I thought maybe I'd enjoy it as I can.**

"Come on slowpokes! Catch up if you can!" Mass said while laughing, with them still chasing him until Marine suddenly smiled and began to catch up to him, laughing as well in which caught his attention.

"First one that wears out fights the next shadow!" She said, making Mass smile.

"Oh, you are SO ON!" He countered as the two of them quickly raced each other, surprising the both of them.

"Oh come now..." Coal said before shaking his head and ran quickly with the others. "Marine! Wait!" They kept chasing them while Koda was inside the shadows, watching them from the distance until he noticed another shadow with Red eyes watching them, and began to follow.

_"What was that? Who...Was he?"_ Koda thought to himself before following the shadow, wondering where it was going.

**_Farther In the Forest_**

Mass kept running through it as quickly as possible while Marine was not to far behind and everyone else chasing them. Mass looked at her with a smirk, giving him an idea, and began to slow down and pretend to be tired so she could win, making her think she won and slow down.

"Looks like I won! You're fighting the next shadow!" She said while laughing, with Mass still pretending as he looked up at her with a smile.

"I guess I gotta, huh?" He asked while everyone else caught up and Coal breathing heavily, making him rub his head. "Oh...Sorry guys. Guess I got distracted."

"You guess?!" Bolt asked as he spun his legs around, releasing any tension on them. "You ran a pretty far ways!"

"I...I suppose it was a good thing then...Because we seem to got through faster than usual." Coal said while looking around. "And we're heading to the right direction."

"Cool! Glad we're making some progress!" Mass said as he then pushed another bush, seeing through it was a large cliff, showing multiple mountains, waterfalls, and a large lake in front of him, along with the sunset shimmering inside of it, but also had a trail that lead down. "Whoa...This looks awesome! I've never seen a place like this before..." Barb looked as well with the others, seeing the view.

"Holy...That looks so pretty!" Barb said in a happy and squeaky voice, making Coal nod.

"Indeed. But...We might need to stay here for the night but leave early. With all the running earlier, we might need it." He said, with then nodding except for Mass, for he only looked at the sight alone.

**_That Very Night_**

Bolt, Barb, and Coal were sleeping near a burning fire for not only warmth, but to also keep any shadows that were enhanced by the darkness. Everyone except Marine, who was staring at the fire, and Mass, who was also staring at the sight in amazement, to which caught her attention. She got up and walked over to him, wanting to talk or interact with him.

"Hey, are you ok?" She asked, with Mass still looking at the sight.

"It looks amazing, doesn't it?" He asked, with her looking at it as well, wondering what he means. "I mean this place, and what's in front of us. I've never seen something look so amazing before. It's a first time...And, I don't know...It could be a last."

"You know you'll make it through this, right?" Marine asked, with Mass nodding.

"They said something about a focus's consequences...What did they mean by that? Your parents?" He asked before looking at her. "Was it because I'd have to go through dangers or something?"

"I'm guessing so. A wielder has to go through so much pain, knowing they have to go through this, just because of it." Marine said until she looked at him. "I'm Marine. I don't think I ever told you...You're Mass...Chokion, right?"

"Yeah, that's right." Mass said while looking at her in the eyes, seeing one was Black and the other was White. "Your eyes are kind of like mine. I just realized that." Marine looked back, seeing one was Red and the other was Blue.

"Oh hey! You're right! That's cool!" She said, making her laugh a bit, with Mass doing the same as they just laughed more and more about it. "I'm sorry! I just can't help but find it funny!"

"Yeah! Same here!" Mass said, calming down after a while. "So anyway...What is it you want to talk about? Is it because of what we're going through now?"

"I..Guess you can say that. I just want to know you a little bit. Like... About ourselves, you know? I never really got to meet a Moon Spear wielder before." Marine said in question, with Mass nodding slightly. "What is it like?" He looked down and summoned the weapon into his hands, observing it.

"It's...Alright, I guess. Nothing too special. I mean, I know it is, but...Hey, it could be worse, you know?" He asked before it dissolved into light, leaving his hands as he looked at her. "And you're a White Mage, right? How long have you been one?" Marine looked over to the site, remembering.

"I've been one...Just about all my life. I thought White Magic more interesting that swords and all...I could use it more as that than as a Red Mage like my mom and dad. So...I just went with it. My family were all Red Mages since the very start. I just so happen to be the only White Mage in my family." She said as she looked at Mass. "Do you have any family left? Or...Did what happen to them happen to everyone else?" He looked down sadly, then at the lake.

"...What happened to most of everyone. From what I remember... Bolt and Barb were the one's that found me in Atlantica on that day." He said as he looked over to the sleeping Bolt and Barb, for they were shut down for recharge. "They said they saw them...Dead thanks to Blackheart." He looked back at the lake, seeing the moon reflecting on it. "There were times where...I wanted him gone. I wanted Blackheart to pay for what he did...I wanted him dead when I heard all about what he did...But...Now that I know stopping him is my focus here...I can do it for both stopping him and to even the score." He looked at the moon, with the first thing he thought was Aurora. "So...I plan to enjoy every minute of it." Marine only looked at him, then looked at the moon with him, observing it.

_"...You truly are interesting...Mass Chokion."_ She thought to herself, with Mass staring at the moon still.

**I meant every word I said to Marine that night. It was truly how I felt. Every bit of anger I felt toward Blackheart was true in my mind. Just the very thought of giving Blackheart what he deserved, and what he continues to do...There's no way I can ever calm down from it. **


	8. Crystal Catastrophe

_**In the Morning**_

Mass and Marine both raced each other through the forest again with smiles on their face while the others tried to catch up.

"Come on! I'll beat you this time!" Mass said, making Marine laugh a bit.

"Don't count on it!" She said as she began to catch up to him, making Barb groan slightly since he was slightly worn out.

"So Coal, how much farther are we? Are we half way there or do we have a long time to g-" Mass asked until he passed through a bush, looked forward, and made everyone stop in shock to see what was in front of them. It was a large Crystallized cave that was surrounded by mountains, but that wasn't what shocked them; For a large White and crystal-like dragon was inside it, sleeping. "...And THAT'S a freaking dragon!" Barb saw this later and it freaked him out.

"OH MY-" He tried to say but his mouth was covered by Bolt, silencing him.

"Shut it! We can't wake it up!" Bolt said while everybody stared at it. "Is that the way to our location?"

"Apparently so." Coal said sadly, then looked at them. "We'll need to be quiet so we can get past it."

"Yeah...Let's try, and hopefully it won't wake up." Mass said as he looked around the dragon for a place to get pass it, and found the side of it slightly open. "If we only quietly and quickly pass through that gap, we should be able to get through there." They nodded and he slowly began to shimmy over the legs of the dragon, with Marine and Coal behind him, while both Bolt and Barb did the same thing. Barb was behind Bolt until accidentally lost hit footing and fell, but he stopped himself by putting his hands onto something, making him sigh happily and in relief.

"Man! That was close!" He said as he looked at everyone, seeing wide and shocked expressions, with him looking to see what he landed on was the dragons hind leg, making him shocked and look up to see the dragon staring at him in anger. Barb slowly put his hands off of it and smiled in fear. "Uhhhh...Hi!" The dragon only roared in response, got up, and swung it's tail around to it can knock them out of the cave.

"Ow..." Mass said before getting up from the attack, and summoned the Moon Spear. "Well, so much for the easy way! Looks like it's time to do this the hard way!"

"Alright, now THIS I'm ok with!" Marine said while Bolt turned his arm into a blaster and Barb took out his dagger in preperation, with the dragon roaring and shot out it's fire breath, making everyone dodge out of the way quickly, getting out of the way.

"Let us smite the dragon in our way!" Coal yelled as he took out his sword, began to form wind into his hand, Aero, and shot it at the dragon, cutting it slightly by the element and made it yell, but it reacted quickly by turning and shooting fire at him, hitting and sending him back in pain, with Marine catching what just occured.

"DAD!" She yelled before casting a shield behind him, protecting him from hitting a rock and bounced back so he could land on the ground, with him recovering slightly while both Bolt and Barb ran to the dragon while holding hands.

"Let's do this Barb!" Bolt said while he began to shoot at the dragon, with the beams reflecting onto it, with Barb nodding as he suddenly shot at the ground, making them lift off into the sky so they were above the dragon. He quickly spun around, with Barb still holding on until he was let go, sending him flying toward it with the dagger in front and stabbed it, only for him to sent back due to the dragon being crystal, and was about to be shot with fire until Mass suddenly ran in, attempted to cut it's eye in which he was successful, making it yell, and grabbed Barb at the last second. "Mass! Try Haste on me!"

"I haven't tried it on another person than me yet! I'm still new at it!" Mass said while looking at Bolt, who then landed next to him, and shook his head.

"Just try it!" Bolt said, making Mass sigh as he formed the White Magic into his hands and threw it at Bolt, forming the Red sphere around him. "Alright! Here we go!" He quickly aimed the blaster at him, faster due to Haste, and began to quickly shoot at it at a fast pace, making the lasers reflect but the more it was shot in that location, it began to crack lightly, with the dragon yelling and blasted fire at him. Bolt saw this and quickly attempted to dodge it but Coal finally recovered and tried to hold the fire away from him while also having sparks his the dragon, making it scream in pure pain and finally make the fire fade away, leaving his sword steaming from the heat.

"Nothing will get past this being! We must figure out a way to defeat this being!" Coal said while also throwing more Aero at it, cutting the dragon more while Mass watched the wind and fire, also making him think about when the fire was absorbed into the Moon Spear, giving him an idea.

"Coal! Use your strongest wind magic at me! I have an idea!" He said, with Coal and Marine looking at him in shock.

"What?! Why?!" Marine asked before looking in front of her and saw a tail about to attack her, to which she summoned a shield made of magical hexagons to protect her, using the Protect spell.

"Trust me on this!" Mass said, with Coal nodded as he began to form his strongest wind Black Magic spell, Aeroga, and shot it at Mass, with him starting to twirl the Moon Spear as it absorbed into his weapon, having wind surround it. He looked at the dragon and began waving his hands, hoping to catch it's attention. "Yo! I'm right here! Come and get me!" The dragon finally looked at Mass and shot a ball of fire at him, which he wanted as he twirled his weapon as well, absorbing the element as it combined with the wind, creating an unstable and fast fire covering it. He stopped twirling the weapon to look at it, with everyone else seeing it. "Alright! I'm going in! Maybe THIS will work!" He quickly ran to the dragon, shocking them.

"IS HE INSANE?! HE KNOWS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WIND AND FIRE ARE TOGETHER!" Bolt said in shock, with Marine running to him.

"STOP!" Marine said before knowing she wasn't going to stop him in time, so she attempted to cast a spell but at the very same time, Mass finally connected the attack, with waves of fire flowing out of his weapon as both the wind and fire began to combine, making the fire unstable as the dragon began to crack more and more, with it screaming something suddenly happened. The dragon suddenly busted into smaller crystals and created a large explosion, sending Mass back and hitting the ground, lying there. "Mass!" She quickly ran over with the others following, seeing an Orange orb floating around and breaking, making her sigh in relief. "Thank god..." Mass suddenly got up and looked around, seeing he was not harmed.

"Mass!" Both Bolt and Barb said as they suddenly hugged him, surprising him. "You're ok!"

"Y-Yeah...I thought I'd get hurt." Mass said whil getting up, with Bolt and Barb getting off. "How did I not get hurt?"

"...I did that." Marine said, with them looking. "I used the Barfire spell on you to protect you. All it did was just...Take all the fire damage from you."

"Really? Wow." Mass said in impression, and smiled at her. "You saved my hide then. Thanks for that." Marine smiled lightly and nodded, with Coal looking around.

"I believe now should be our time to move ahead before any Shadows come our way." Coal said.

"Yeah! Or before more dragons come here!" Barb said, with Mass nodding.

"Right, alright Coal, lead the way." He said, with him nodding and everyone entered the crystallized cave, while the shadow with Red eyes watched them in the distance, observing the entire battle as it entered and followed them inside the cave, with Koda watching as well and followed the shadow.

**_From Inside the Cave_**

Everyone walked inside the dark cave, seeing it was filled with large crystals, and holes that had light coming out that also helped lighten and clear up the water from within, which was on the side. Everyone except Coal looked around in amazement.

"Wow...This place looks amazing..." Marine said until she looked at a crystal, and crouched down to it so she could grab a piece, then looked over at Mass and grabbed another one before catching up to them. "Hey, Mass." He looked over to see her giving him a part of a crystal, surprising him. "I...Figured you might want this. Something to remember this place by." He stared at the crystal, smiled, and accepted it.

"Thanks. I'll be sure to." He said until there was a small sound in the distance, with them hearing it. "Did anyone hear that?"

"Yeah...I did." Bolt said before he turned his hand into a blaster. "Keep your guard up guys." The sounds began to get closer, with them preparing more and more until the source finally came in; It was a small Moogle, which was a little White being with a big Red nose, a pom-pom attached to their head, small Purple wings, and had its eyes closed while it started making the small noise.

"What is that thing?" Bolt asked as he looked at Coal, whom shrugged.

"Visitors from the outside! Kupo~." The Moogle said in surprise while it moved it's nose lightly, making Barb and Marine squeal a bit.

"Awww! It's so cute!" Marine said as she crouched down and gave the Moogle a large hug, making it blush.

"You're making me blush! Kupo~!" It said while Barb ran over, got on Marine's lap, and hugged it as well, making the Moogle breath in and out heavily. "We never get a break, do we? Kupo~." Marine stopped hugging it and held it in front of her so she could look at it.

"What's your name? What are you?" She asked in amazement.

"I would tell you if you put me down. Kupo~." The Moogle said, making Marine's eyes widen as she put it down, with it sighing deeply in relief. "Much better." It began to fly with it's wings, making her get up and look at it. "My name is Mooglet. And I'm the last Moogle in Tetra. Kupo~."

"A Moogle?" Bolt asked in question. "Well what are you doing here in a place like this? Where a dragon was?"

"The dragon? Oh, I created it! Used magic with the crystal here mind you! Kupo~." Mooglet said, shocking them.

"Wait. YOU created that!?" Mass asked in shock, with Mooglet looking at him and nodded with a small noise. "That THING nearly killed us a while back! Why did you do that?"

"Why? Because you can never be too careful! Kupo~." It said while it began to spin along with flying. "Have you seen what those Shadows from Blackheart can do? They would tear me apart! Kupo~!" It made a small noise, which was elongated to resemble a sigh. "But I'm guessing since you're here, you killed it." It suddenly stopped spinning, but began to shake in fear. "Oh no. Without a dragon, it won't protect me! I'll be left here to die! Kupooo~!"

"Hang on now. You're not gonna die." Mass said, making Mooglet suddenly stop to look at him. "Look, just to make sure you're safe, how about you come with us? We'll keep you safe for a while."

"What? After you killed the only thing protecting me in the first place? No way! Kupo~!" It said in anger and turned away. "Hmph! You got a lot of nerve! Kupo~!"

"Look, we apologize, but we needed to make our way through this cave to get to the town we must get to." Coal said, with Mooglet still angry.

"Hmph! Is that right?" Kupo~?" Mooglet asked. "Why are you heading there then? For a shipment? Kupo~?" Mass then got an idea to convince him.

"Well...Actually...Maybe this will explain it." He said as he summoned the Moon Spear, with it seeing the light generated and turned to look at it in shock. "I have a focus right now, and that's to defeat Blackheart. Not like we wanted to kill it, in fact we tried to pass through it, but didn't go as planned." He let the weapon disappear into light particles. "Anyway, if you want to stay here and be mad, that's fine by me. I'm still going regardless." It turned began to think hard for a few second, then turned and nodded.

"Well...Ok! So long as Blackheart is gone and no shadows will get me, I'm ok with it. Kupo~." Mooglet said, with Barb and Marine looking at each other and squealed.

"YAY!" They both said happily, with Mooglet then sitting on Mass's shoulder.

"Well, let's get going! To the East Town!" It said as they continued through the cave while the shadow with Red eyes stared at them.


	9. A Familiar Face

_**Near the End of the Cave**_

"...It shouldn't be too far head! Kupo~!" Mooglet said, pointing ahead while it was on Mass shoulder, who was with the group as they passed through more or the crystal cave. "It should be right near here! I'm sure of it! Kupo~."

"Alright, I'll take your word for it." Mass said, with Mooglet looking at him.

"I realized I haven't caught your names! What are they? Kupo~?" It asked.

"I'm Mass; Mass Chokion, Moon Spear wielder." Mass said, then pointed over to Bolt and Barb. "The White one is Bolt, and the other is Barb."

"And I am Coal, and with me is my daughter; Marine." Coal said, with Marine nodding and smiling.

"It's nice to meet you, Mooglet." She said, with it nodding.

"It's nice to meet all of you! Kupo~." Mooglet said happily while also making a noise.

"Excuse me...But I have a question." Bolt said, catching Mooglet's attention. "You said before you were the last of the Moogles. What happened?" It stared down sadly.

"It was because od Blackheart. Ever since he came into Tetra, he turned most of everyone into shadows. But it wasn't just humans or elves. Kupo~." Mooglet said sadly. "But it was also us Moogles. We're beings that existed for the longest amount of time. We're also the ones to create the most essential items. Potions, Ethers, Elixirs, it goes on. Kupo~. But I'm the last of what they were. Blackheart turned all of us into shadows, except me."

**So it wasn't just us that had it bad, and to who Blackheart hurt. He's not only hunted down humans to turn them into shadows, but anything that possessed a small bit of life. I knew that...Hearing this, it was more of a reason to stop Blackheart more than ever.**

"I...Can't believe that." Marine said in shock. "He's...A real monster."

"Yes, that's right. But...The Moon Spear wielder is here now, and is going to stop this Blackheart! Kupo~!" Mooglet said before looking at Mass, with him looking back. "Right?"

"Yeah, right!" He said with a smile, and looked forward as everybody just kept walking while the shadow with Red eyes just watched from within the darkness and flashed through, catching his attention. "Hey, Bolt, Barb...Have you felt like as if somebody has been watching you lately?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Barb asked before making a small squeak.

"You feel like somebody is stalking us?" Bolt asked in wonder.

"Yeah, but...It feels different. Like the person stalking us is...Somebody we knew for a while..." Mass said, but shook his head. "Nah...I could be over thinking it. Forget what I said."

"Are you sure?" Barb asked, with Mass nodding.

"Yeah, I'm sure." He said until there was a small glimpse of lights at the end of the cave, catching their attention and making Mooglet make noises.

"That's it! That's the exit! Kupo~!" It said right before they exited the cave, seeing the outside for they were now on a hill above the forest, within the distance showing a rather large town while the sun was starting to slowly set.

"Is that it?!" Mass asked in surprise, with Coal nodding.

"Yes, right over there is our location. Soon we will reach it." He said, with Mass stretching his legs so he could prepare for the long run or walk.

"To think we made it this far. I'm...I'm surprise!" Marine said in amazement, then looked at Mass with a smile, with him looking and smiling.

"Yeah, same here." He said before looking at the town with a smile. "Well then, we shouldn't waste anymore time! Let's get over there and get on that ship!"

"Agreed. The sooner the better." Coal said as he began to walk, with Mooglet getting on his shoulder and Bolt and Barb following, leaving Mass and Marine behind a bit while she looked at him with a smile, to which he didn't notice for he was staring at the town with a smile as well.

**The moment I saw that town, I knew something came into my mind; I was one step closer to getting to Blackheart. I was one step closer to stopping him and ending what he started.  
><strong>  
>Mass then noticed Marine's stare, surprising him a bit.<p>

**What...Is she smiling about? Is she smiling at me because...I'm with her right now?  
><strong>  
>He smiled back and ran to follow Coal, with Marine doing the same while the same shadow watched and followed them, while Koda was watching them and the shadow in the distance.<p>

"That shadow is soon to attack them since they are near the location. I have to stop it." He said to himself before busting into Black waves, turning into a shadow as he followed them.

**_Near the Town_****  
><strong>  
>The party walked on a trail to the town, with a sign in the front of it saying 'Riverhedge'.<p>

"'Riverhedge', huh?" Mass said.

"Yes. This place's shipping company should be here." Coal said with a nod. "We should find when they'll be going in the next island, if they haven't left of course, and try to get a ride on there."

"You think it'll be that simple? Kupo~?" Mooglet asked.

"Oh...I think we can convince them." Bolt said as he looked at Mass, who then summoned the Moon Spear for a bit and then made it disappear. "If they see that, they're bound to help us."

"Indeed. Now, let us find and tell them of our situation so-" Coal tried to say.

"But...Can't we rest for a bit?" Marine asked, with Barb nodding in agreement and them looking at her. "We went quite a ways to get over here...Maybe for at least...A few minutes or something?" Mass stared at her before looking at Coal and nodded.

"I...Have to agree with her. We've been walking for a while. Maybe an hour or a few minutes wouldn't be so bad." He said, making Coal sigh a bit.

"Very well. We shall find a motel of some sort and rest there for the small while." He said.

"Yay!" Both Marine and Barb said happily, making Mass chuckle.

"Come on, let's go find one then!" He said as they started to walk inside the town while the shadow with Red eyes then finally came out of the shadows, revealing it to be a humanoid figure and followed them while also creating shadows from it's hands, with Koda seeing in the distance with wide eyes.

"Oh no... He's about to attack. I have to stop him!" He said as he turned into a shadow on the ground and tried to chase them, while the group walked through the town. It was filled with lanterns, lights, and people walking through it happily.

"Wow, this place looks so cool! Especially those." Mass said as his eyes were kept on a lantern, with Marine looking at it as well.

"It's a lantern. People use that to keep things lit." She said, making him nod. "What? You never seen or heard of a lantern?"

"No, not really." Mass said. "I lived my life on the ship then entire time. So...I never really got to know much of the outside. Haruma, my caretaker, did though." He looked around the town, trying to look for something. "I wonder if he's here."

"Who knows. Would be great to know he's ok." Bolt said while Barb looked around as well until he stopped to see a small motel.

"There's one! Right over there!" He said as everyone looked to see it.

"Then let's head in! Kupo~!" Mooglet said as everyone tried to enter in, but just as Marine was about enter and turn, a shadow formed behind Mass, shocking her.

"MASS, LOOK OUT! She yelled, making him turn to see it and slashed it after summoning the Moon Spear, with everyone in the scene seeing with wide eyes.

"Jeez! Talk about wanting to talk!" He said right before more shadows came along, making everybody scream and run away as fast as possible and those inside, closing the stores. "Oh come on!" Just as everyone was about to grab their weapons, a sudden streak of Brown came in and killed off every last one, making them explode into spirit particles and shocking them. "What...What the..."

"...Hey Mass!" A Australian voice said, surprising him, Bolt, and Barb as they looked over, seeing the person they knew that had his back turned with a broadsword in hand; Haruma.

"Haruma...You're ok!" Bolt said, with Haruma looking over his shoulder, smiled, and turned to them.

"Sure is! I'm glad to see you guys too." He said, then looked at Mass. "You...You mostly Mass." Hearing this surprised him.

"Really? You missed me the most?" Mass asked, leaving Bolt and Barb in question.

"Of course. You're the one holding the weapon now, and guessing since you're here ya know of the situation. You're the most important because of dealing with it." Haruma said with a smile.

"But...What about us?" Barb asked sadly, with Haruma looking at him.

"You're important too. But Mass here...He's one hell of a kind." He said before looking at Mass and offered him a hand shake. "Anyway, it's good to see ya again." Mass looked at it, with Marine being skeptical.

_"He seems off...Was he always like this?"_ She thought while Mass smiled and was about to accept the handshake, but didn't know that Haruma's eyes turned Red, showing he was the shadow, and was about to create a spike made of shadows.

"STOP!" A voice yelled as it grabbed Mass and pushed him down, making Haruma step back to see it was Koda.

"What the?!" Mass asked as he got up to see Koda, with the first thing seeing his shadow like features. "What in the..."

"Is he a shadow himself?!" Coal asked in shock, with Haruma staring at Koda in anger.

"Koda! Get out of my way!" Haruma said, now in a warped voice, as Koda took out his Black sword.

"You won't get your hands on the Moon Spear bearer!" He said, with Mass finally getting up to look at Haruma, seeing his new features.

"What are you doing?! He's our friend!" He said in anger.

"He's not the person you once knew!" Koda said back, keeping his sights on him. "I've seen him...He was overtaken by the shadows...And became one of them...He's lost in the darkness, becoming corrupt."

"You...You're lying! You're lying!" Barb said in disbelief.

"If I was I wouldn't save you Mass Chokion from becoming one with the shadow! Unlike...Unlike me!" Koda said in anger, which turned to sadness. "I tried...I tried to save him from what he is now...But it was too late...And..."

"ENOUGH KODA!" Haruma said in anger, with tendrils of darkness coming out of his back. "The darkness within this heart has given me power, power like no other there ever was. All this time, the poor soul of this body gave into it's power...Now all that remains in the shattered remains of his darkness. Darkness, anger, and revenge from within the past and the present, and now...The power will now determine your future!" They all stared at him, with Mass shaking his head in denial.

"Don't do this Haruma! Please! We're your friend!" He tried to say.

"Haruma is no longer here...Only darkness!" Haruma said as he shot a spike of darkness at everyone, shocking them.

"Get away! Kupooo~!" Mooglet said as everybody dodged quickly, avoiding the attack. "Goodness! That was close! Kupo~!"

"Tell me about it!" Marine said as she pulled her staff out in preparation. "What should we do?"

"Try and get past him! See if we can knock him out of it!" Mass yelled as he gripped on the Moon Spear, with Koda shaking his head.

"You can't get through to him! There's no point to!" He said.

"Well I'm trying no matter what!" Mass said as he landed, with the others next to him, and formed White Magic in which he casted Cheer on to everyone but put Haste on himself. "Let's GO!" He quickly sped toward Haruma and attempted to attack him, only for him to cover his broadsword in darkness and countered it with a clash, creating sparks of light and darkness to generate. At the same time, both Bolt and Coal began to shoot at him, with Haruma not budging for darkness tendrils countered them by attacking. "Get...Get past already!" He applied more power to his Cheer spell, causing him to sparkle more but the equality of power was still there. "Damn it! Get PAST!"

"Is this truly what the Moon Spear wielder is capable of?" Haruma asked coldly, with Mass still staring at him in determination. "Your words and power cannot break through the internal coma from within. No matter what tactics you do or try!" He suddenly pushed the sword away, knocking Mass back as he attempted to slash him but suddenly stopped by a Green reflective shield, with him looking to see it came from Marine herself. "A White Mage, the healer and protector of the party... You are the one holding everyone together... It is wise to dispose of you." He quickly ran to her with his sword prepared.

"He's heading to Marine! Kupooo~!" Mooglet said, catching Marine's attention while Barb saw this and was about to help but remembered about the real Haruma, preventing him move out of fear and worry. Marine attempted to use her Protect spell but was stopped by Coal getting in the way and parried with his sword, filled with fire.

"What's this? The Red Mage chooses to fight?" Haruma asked in question. "It is normal for a Mage to fight for their people. No matter the class."

"I will NOT let you hurt my daughter!" Coal said while casting his second level of fire; Fira, making it more powerful as it grew, causing sparks with the darkness illuminating. At the same time, Haruma only kept the sword still until Koda came in, with his sword glowing Purple, and attempted to slash him as well, only for Haruma to grab the sword with his hand, trying to keep the two swords in check.

"Koda, did you honestly think the true darkness from within your blade could damage one with equal power?" Haruma asked until Koda released shadow particles from his body, strengthening his sword. "Sacrificing power of your soul for more power? Expecting from a Black Knight like yourself." He kept both of their blades still while Mass saw this and ran up, aiming the Moon Spear at his chest.

"You're not blocking THIS one now!" He yelled while he charged, with Haruma now seeing this, knowing he won't be able to block the attack. Out of pure desperation, he put all of his power into the hand that held Coals sword, knocking him away slightly as it left him open, sent Mooglet back since he was on his shoulder, and stabbed him in the heart with a shadow spike, shocking them.

"O-Oh my god..." Bolt said in shock while Mooglet landed on the ground, and picked itself up to look at the sight in shock as well. But it didn't hit anyone else harder than Marine did, for her eyes were wide.

"N-NO! DAD!" She screamed as Mass saw this, making his anger grow.

"How...HOW DARE YOU?!" He yelled in rage as he clashed his Moon Spear against Haruma's sword, creating sparks of more light than darkness, surprising him.

"What...Is this raise in power?" He asked himself until the light finally overcame his power, sending him back attempted to stop himself by gripping his fingers on the ground, creating dust as well until he stopped to look at him an get up. "You...Your power...It's more powerful than I imagined... Perhaps...I underestimated you..." He only stared at him, with Mass staring back in anger, also with lost hope. "But...Just know that because you have more power...Does not mean that the war is not yet over...Sooner or later...I will be back...And I will make sure ever last strand of your light fades into darkness...Regardless of what is done or needed to have that goal occur...Enjoy the victory while it lasts...It will all be shattered soon enough...Just like the power of your loved ones did when the darkness came out of the crust." Haruma shot a ball of darkness under him, turned into a shadow in the ground, and went away, leaving them.

"...It's over." Koda said as he looked over to Mass, seeing his sad and hopeless expression.

**When I heard 'Haruma' say those words. 'Enjoy the victory while it lasts', it actually made me realize something, something that changed. The Haruma I knew...The one that took care of me on that ship, and the one who I was seperated from nearly two days ago...Was gone. Like what he said before... He was now corrupt, and there was no way I could get through to him... He was gone, and for good because of the darkness.**

"Dad! Please! Wake up!" Marine said while she was crouching down to Coal, who was coughing blood, with Bolt, Barb, and Mooglet. Both Mass and Koda looked to see him, and ran over. "Dad! Please be ok!" Coal slowly began to wake up, but was now weak due to the stab. "Y-You're awake!"

"Marine...I am sorry...I am so sorry..." He said, with Marine shaking her head and attempted to use the Cure spell onto his wound, but couldn't work.

"Why...Why isn't it working?!" She asked in frustration and fear as she kept doing it, but got on result.

"Darkness...Has infected his soul. No amount of light or healing can prevent it...His soul has shattered." Koda said sadly, looking down. "Nothing can save him...Except becoming one with darkness..."

"But there must be an elixir of some sort! Kupo~!" Mooglet said, with Koda shaking his head.

"No...There isn't...If anyone has any last words to him...Now is the time to say them." He said, with Coal looking at everyone.

"I...Am sorry I could not make use in this journey...I have let all of you down...I wish I was strong enough to...To see the day in which Blackheart would finally cease to exist...I wish...I would be there for the aftermath of the victory..." He said, with everyone sad but Marine was crying harshly as he looked over to her. "Marine...My beautiful daughter...Please...Succeed in which I failed...Help bring the Moon Spear wielder to the path of light, so all darkness can fade away to it's home...To the nothing." She only stared at him and quickly nodded, making him smile as he looked at Mass. "Mass Chokion...I thank you for letting me have this chance to assist you for how long I was able to...It was good to know that I got all of you this far...I trust you of the world...It's fate...Is in your hands...For the sake of Ultor and...Aurora..." He slowly closed his eyes, symbolizing he's dead as Marine then cried over his body as it faded into shadow particles, and faded away into the nearest shadow, becoming darkness. She cried as those in the town started to gather around, some of then seeing the scene.

**...But the battle taught me one thing now. The shadows...Were no longer the only threat. **


	10. Moving On Through the Darkest of Times

**_Ruins of Atlantica _**

Blackheart stood inside of his castle that was within the ruins, only standing there with his eyes closed in thought and patience, waiting until Haruma came up into the shadows, making his eyes open.

"I sensed that the deed has not yet been done." Blackheart said, with Haruma nodding slightly.

"The boy's power is starting to grow rapidly, more and more is he getting stronger." He said while keeping his arms crossed. "His power has reached a limit and expectation larger than we had predicted. Soon, he will reach a power that is equal to yours."

"I am aware of this." Blackheart said, with his eyes closing. "His light is burning stronger than ever...Just like his mother and father. Which leads to the darkness being in more danger than it ever has." He opened his eyes and turned away so he could walk to the opposite direction. "It appears I will have to deal with his boy myself. He is becoming more of a problem than he was before."

"...You sound as if you know on what you are doing." Haruma said, making Blackheart stop instantly. "Do you feel afraid now? Has the leader and creator of the shadows finally filled with fear? The very emotion that you and your shadows have impacted onto others, especially the one known as Koda Chimori, the one you let to keep his humanity regardless of the darkness from the shadow within his heart. Are you finally feeling that emotion?"

"...Why would I fear of the one that's light is inferior to I?" Blackheart asked, turning to him. "His light is not strong enough to face a darkness such as mine yet. But...The more time progresses, the more power he will achieve. It is all precautions for the inevitable. The only exception is the inevitable...Will soon fade into the darkness. And nothing by any means will prevent it." He continued to walk away, leaving Haruma to stand there. "I will return to my quarters soon enough. This battle will not last any more than a few minutes." He kept walking until he no longer was seen, leaving him.

"...The light he bears will soon overcome the darkness within him, and this world...While the one within me only grows slightly..." Haruma said to himself while shadows from around the area began to form, with him grabbing one of them and absorbed it, creating a Purple aura to cover him in, making him smile slightly bigger. "...Soon, Blackheart will not be the only darkness in the remains of Tetra..."

**_Inside Riverhedge_**

The rest of the party was inside a hotel, still shocked by the fact of Coal's death. They all sat on their respective beds, deep in thought except for Marine, who was devastated.

**I was unsure on what to feel since that time. I didn't know if I should feel sad that he's gone, angry, or devastated. I wasn't sure if I should have been mad at Haruma, or at Blackheart. My feelings were mixed...But I knew that somewhere in my heart, I knew something; Blackheart needed to be settled with, and faster than ever.**

"...I can't believe that man is gone. He was a good man. Kupo~." Mooglet said, with Koda, who had his back against the wall, looking down.

"...It is my fault. If only I settled this matter with him sooner." He said as everyone except Marine looked at him, with him looking up at everyone. "I had the very power to stop him and to prevent this. But instead...I only...Just watched."

"You've...Been watching us?" Bolt asked, with him nodding. "Who are you? And why have you been following us?" He looks at everyone and sighs a bit.

"...My name...Is Koda; Koda Chimori. And I was once a part of the Redrian Empire created by Blackheart." He said, surprising everyone except Marine. "And yes...I am a Shadow, like the one your friend, Haruma, was. Blackheart found my skills of pure swordsmanship to be helpful by some degree. For the longest...I followed my instincts as a Shadow. I captured...And killed those who refused to be a part of it. It was never my intention to...But yet I did it with my own free will."

"It was never your intention, but you did it anyway?" Mass asked in question. "That doesn't make much sense."

"It was never my intention...Because doing all of these were my punishment for my sin, a sin I committed long ago." Koda said, looking down once again. "It was because...I failed to protect my family, my mother and little sister. I'm not sure if they are alive, with Aurora and Ultor in...Some world considered to be the afterlife, or if they are now one with the shadows, ruling with Blackheart so the cycle can repeat again. Killing as a shadow is my punishment for it all, because doing so is the mental torture I deserve because I could not be the sentinel of the remains I had left. But then..." He looks over at Mass. "There was you, becoming the Moon Spear wielder. Because...I knew that if you were the one to destroy the one that contained all darkness, I would finally fade away into the light, destroy me for it will be my final punishment. It is what I always want. I wanted to protect you in any case so you can do the deed, and end all of it."

"You...Want me to stop Blackheart, so you can die yourself since it's your punishment?" Mass asked in surprise, with Koda nodding.

"Yes...That is correct. But...Knowing I have caused the death of one to help you achieve this goal...It is now my second sin, a sin in which I cannot redeem but to...To no longer do what I did before, and lie down to die in my shadows..." He said, looking away now.

"But it wasn't you fault. You were keeping an eye on us to protect us!" Bolt said, with Barb nodding.

"Yeah, Koda!" He said, but Koda shook his head.

"If I cannot protect one from within the party, then I cannot protect the savior of Tetra. It is my sin now...And I will pay the price of isolation for this..." He said, looking at the window now, then closed his eyes. "I shall go now...Do not search for me."

"What? Hey! Wait a minute!" Mass said as he tried to get up, but Koda faded away into a shadow on the ground and slipped away, leaving them as he sat back down.

"...I feel bad for the boy. Having to go through something and think like that for such a young age. Kupo~." Mooglet said sadly. "Should we look for him? Kupo~?"

"I'm not sure..." Bolt said to it. "Marine's still out of it. I don't blame her..." Both of them looked at her, seeing the sad and devastated face, then at Mass. "What should we do? Without Coal... We don't know where to go."

**It was something I never thought of. Without Coal, I had no idea where to go except find my way through just by my own knowledge. But...Somewhere inside me, I knew what the plan was now.**

"...We keep the plan Coal made." Mass said as he got up. "We have to get to the other island so we can find some sort of way to get over to Atlantica. We'll find the way on our own. We just have to believe in us going the right way." He looked outside the window, seeing the town going dark. "We have to go in a little bit. We already wasted enough time here, and have to get a move on."

"But...What about Marine?" Barb asked with a squeak, with them looking at her again.

"...I'm not sure...But we gotta get her around soon. We can't leave anyone behind." Mass said while he kept watching the outside.

**...That, and we couldn't leave every single sacrifice and hope behind as well. **

_**Later**_

The entire party, with the still devestated Marine, left the motel and began to walk to the main part of where the shipping company was, while in the shadows; Koda watched them while he was in thought. He was in this state for the longest amount of time until he made a decision, with him walking out and to them.

"Hey! Wait!" He said, which caused them to stop and Mass looking at him in surprise. "Tell me...Are you going to the island near the East? Near where the next shipping company is at?"

"...Yeah, that's right. Why is that?" Mass asked, with Koda staring down in thought, then back at him with a nod.

"Now...Let me ask you another question. If you were to take me to my hometown not too far from that location, would you like my services in return? Both in combat and it the area for that island?" He asked again with Mass looking at Bolt, Barb and Mooglet, with them nodding, and looked back with a nod as well. "Then...Allow me to be a part of your party. I wish to see my homeland to see if they are ok. If they are...Then perhaps in either way will help my want to stop Blackheart once and for all."

"How come you never bothered to search them to being with? Kupo~?" Mooglet asked in question.

"Because...Their light is either weak for me to sense or non-existent. Mass Chokion's was easy to find due to being the wielder." Koda explained, then looked beyond them. "But, now is not the time to explain much. We do not know if they have left already. We should get over to our location before they take off."

"He's right. We need to get over there quickly." Bolt said in agreement, with Mass looking over to Marine, seeing her expression still and nodded.

"Yeah, we should. Let's try to find it as best as we can and move on from there." He said as they nodded, and he walked off to find it with the others while the citizens only looked at him sadly, knowing he has to go through with being the wielder at a young age, which he caught before they looked away. They kept walking around the now lit town until they found a large wooden dock that had a large metal ship, carrying tons of cargo. "That must be it. You think this'll work?"

"It must. We need that transport to get to the next island." Koda said, with Mass nodding and walked to the dock, seeing a man wearing Blue work clothes, Black beard, and no hair.

"Uh...Hi." Mass said, which caught the man's attention and turned to see them.

"Well, howdy. Nice to meet you all." He said while crossing his arms. "What can I do for ya?"

"Well...Are you heading to the island East from here?" Bolt asked in question, with the man nodding.

"Damn right. I was just about to head out." He said, but was then put into question. "Why? Ya'll need something or whatever from over there?"

"Well...We need a ride to get there." Mass said, which surprised him. "We have to get over there for certain reasons." Hearing this made him sigh.

"Sorry kids, but that ain't gonna happen. I'm not gonna risk any lived of kids just to get them over to a place filled with danger." The man said, with Mass sighing himself and summoned the Moon Spear, surprising him. "You..."

"Look...We need to get over there. If we do, we'll be one step closer to getting to Blackheart." He said before it flashed away. "I know it's a bit weird...But you have to help us. I'm your only chance at ending this." The man only stared at him until he sighed again.

"Well...Alright then. All aboard the ship. We'll be leaving in a few minutes, but it'll take a day to get over there. Hope you're fine with that." He said.

"It's more than enough! Thank you very much! Kupo~!" Mooglet said, with the man nodding.

"I'll get the last of all this inside and start it so we can head on outta here." He said before pointing at a small bridge, showing an entrance. "Entrance is right on through here. Better get in there fast." Everyone, except for Marine, nodded and walked inside, with Barb looking at her in concern, then ran over to Mass.

"Will Marine be ok?" He asked in worry.

"I...I'm sure she will. She just needs to be alone is all." Mass said as he looked at her, seeing she didn't have her smile on, making him slightly sad.

**I didn't know if I was lying to myself when I said that. Losing somebody you cared for was never easy, and...Sad. Maybe...Maybe she needed consideration that everything was going to be ok. But...Would I be lying to myself again?**

Everyone finally got onto the top of the ship, seeing the view of the ocean in front of them. They observed it more until the ship slowly began to move, indicating that they were now on the move.

"Well, looks like we're moving now." Koda said before placing his back against one of the creates, relaxing as everyone scattered around, finding somewhere to rest, but Mass only stood near the edge and watched the movement of the ocean.

**_Later in the Night_**

Most of everyone except Mass, Koda, and, unknown to anyone, Marine was asleep, for they were now tired from the journey they had. Mass stared at the ocean still, looking at it while the moon shined onto it.

**Looking the ocean brought back memories. Memories of what it was like before I got the Moon Spear. Thought it got me thinking about Haruma, about what it was like before. I couldn't help it. But I had to let that go soon, because those times...Were gone. I had to focus on the present and future, and that meant...Stopping Blackheart...**

He stared at it until he looked over to Marine, seeing her all alone in sadness, making him sigh and walk over to her.

"Hey, are you ok?" He asked, but she didn't respond since she was deep in thought. "I know it's tough for you... It has to be. Coal...Was a good man. I'm sure he understands what you're feeling right now...But...He would have told you to be strong...And do what he failed to. He wouldn't want you to be sad..."

"...I miss him..." Marine said finally, which caught him by surprise. "...I miss him so much...I'm scared now. I never...I've never been on a journey outside of my home without him. He was always there when it started to get hard...But...He's dead now...My own father, who I loved...Is dead..." Tears began to form in her eyes as she tried to hold them back, but prevented to do so by holding her hands together. "I feel...So lost without him..."

"Hey...It's ok." Mass said as he grasped her shoulder, with her looking. "I'm here to protect you. He told me so. And besides..." He smirked a bit. "...When we get over there, we'll be teaching Blackheart a good lesson! He'll get what he deserves soon enough." She stared at him, wiped her eyes, and smiled, making him do the same. "There we go. Now, can I count on you to help any way you can?"

"...Count on it." She said happily while Koda walked over to them, which caught their attention.

"Enough of the talk. We rest." He said, with Mass and Marine looking at each other, nodded, and walked away from the edge of the ship, hoping to sleep.

**...And that meant getting every single bit of help I could get. Although...I couldn't help but get a weird feeling when I told her I was there to protect her. Not like in romance or anything...But I felt like what I said was only a lie. **


	11. Reunion

**_Thirty Six Hours Later_**

The ship was moving through the ocean still in the morning, with the party still riding from inside it until it finally made it's way to the other island, which also held a dock by the side of it. The man from inside saw this and pressed a button.

"Attention ya'll. We're about to head to the docks now!" He said, in which woke Mass up from the sound of it, along with everyone else. They got up and looked from the side of the ship, seeing the island that's filled with trees and the dock was near a beach.

"Whoa! Look at that view!" Mass said with a smirk while Koda stared at it, a bit anxious but didn't show that emotion.

_"The time of discovery is soon...It's not much farther now." _He thought to himself as the ship then stopped at the dock, and the cargo area opened, with the man exiting along with everyone else.

"Well...This is it ya'll. This is the place." The man said, with Bolt looking around.

"Koda, is this the place?" He asked, in which Koda responded with a nod.

"Awesome! That means we made it!" Mass said before looking at the man. "Thanks again for bringing us here. We'll deal with Blackheart soon. I promise." The man smiled a bit.

"It was my honor to. Now, beat that goodfernothin' for me, will ya?" He asked, with them nodding. "Good, now go before the person I'm trading with here finds out I brought people like yourselves here."

"Alright! Thanks again! Kupo~!" Mooglet said as the party quickly ran away from the docks, and entered the forest from within, hiding them by any means. "So, we are here now. Shall we find your hometown, Koda? Kupo~?" Koda stared at the forest still, with him not hearing what Mooglet said, for he was in thought. "Helllo? Koda?" His trance was broken, with him looking at them.

"I'm sorry. I was focused on something different." He said, then looked over his shoulder. "In that case, yes. My hometown is not far from this location. If we hurry, we should be able to get there quickly."

"Alright Koda, just lead the way!" Mass said, which surprised Koda since he trusts him, and nodded as he ran with the others following.

**_An Hour Later_**

Koda kept leading the party through the forest, for it was filled with nature and small ponds around the area.

"Wooow! This place looks so calm and pretty!" Barb said in amazement, with Mooglet nodding.

"We should enjoy the scenery while it lasts. This might be our only time to at this point. Kupo~." It said, with Bolt nodding.

"I agree. But remember that we're not here to enjoy the scenery. We're here to not only get to Koda's hometown, but to get to Atlantica from here." He said, which surprised Mass by knowing this.

**Getting to Atlantica from here? Those words actually hit me. Not because that we're near to where Blackheart and that gem Snow told us would be...But because I was about to revisit something I never remembered much of...Home. It meant that my journey...Was only halfway done.**

"How much further is this place?" Marine asked Koda.

"We should be approaching it soon. Maybe a few more minutes." He said until he stopped to look at something with wide eyes, with them stopping just behind him.

"Uh...Koda?" Mass asked as he looked with the others, seeing an old but small village in front of them, containing multiple houses that had only a small amount of civilians with the same hair style as Koda. "Is...This is?" He got no response, in which he looked at Koda, seeing the expression on his face.

"...I'm home." He said finally before he started to walk towards it with the others following, but once he did some of his people looked at him with a surprised expression.

"Koda...Is that you?!" A female, who was sixteen with the trademark Black hair sticking up and Brown eyes, asked as she ran over to him, kissed him on the cheek, and tightly hugged him around the neck, which shocked him but slowly hugged back. "I-I can't believe you're alive! I thought...I thought you were dead..."

"...I was, Madeleine...And I still am..." Koda said before she stopped hugging him to observe his Shadow like looks.

"You...You look so much like a Shadow...How...Did Blackheart let you...Keep your humanity?" Madeleine asked, with him nodding slightly. "Your...Eternal then..."

"...It is better this way for not being able to protect my family from the Shadows." He said with no emotion, with her looking at him deep in the eyes. "But...These people will end it soon." She looked at the party in surprise, not knowing them.

"Who...Are these people?" Madeline asked in wonder.

"...One of them is the Moon Spear wielder...The one to end the madness Blackheart." Koda said, making Madeline's eyes widen in shock as she stared at them while he looked around, seeing the remains of his people staring at him but also something noticeable; small drops of blood on the grass few burns. But they weren't just there for a long time, but it appeared to be new. "Did something happen in his area?" She stayed silent, not wanting to admit anything but he gripped her shoulders, making Madeline's eyes widen by not only surprise, but in fear. "Madeline...What happened? Are...They ok?"

"...We were recently attacked by Shadows...Most of us survived...But when it happened...Both your mom and sister locked up in your home...We haven't heard from them since. We tried everything to get it open...But nothing worked." Madeline said while she began to cry slightly, making Koda's eyes widen more.

_"No...Don't be..." _He thought to himself before looking at the party. "We must get there quickly!"

"Oh man...I get a bad feeling about this!" Mass said as Koda quickly ran to his house, with them following until they stopped at an old house, in which he attempted to knock the door down with his foot, but had no luck in knocking it down.

"It's...Not coming down!" Koda said while he kept kicking, but still had no effect. "Why won't it come down? What did you do mom? What...Did you do?!" Mooglet observed the door closely, seeing what appeared to be barely visible Gold rims near the sides.

"It's locked by magic! Magic only us Moogles usually do! Kupo~!" It said, making Koda stop trying to open the door, and Mooglet hover over to it. "I know what to do to release it. Kupo~." It then made a noise while shaking it's nose, making the Gold rims disappear. "It's open!" At that moment, Koda kicked the door down, only to see something that shocked him.

"Koda? Something wrong?" Mass asked as he then looked at what he was seeing with wide eyes as well. Inside, there was a large amount of blood, with two bodies lying on the floor. "My gods..." He looked over at Koda, seeing the broken expression of him.

"No...N-No..." He said in shock before running over to the adult female, revealing to be his mom who had the Black hair and wore a mannerly dress, and began to shake her. "Mom...Mom...Wake up...It's me...Koda...Please...Please wake up..." Tears slowly began to roll down his face, but was not doing it harshly due to not feeling pure emotions, with the rest of the party seeing in shock.

"Oh my god...Did...Blackheart do this?" Marine asked.

"If he did...Then this must have been the price for his betrayal." Bolt said while Barb hid behind him in fear and Koda looking down, with his hair covering his eyes, until there was a sudden cough, making their eyes widen.

_"Could...It be?" _Koda asked as he quickly got up and walked over to the other body, seeing it was still breathing to his shock, for it was a eight year old girl with the same hair but also wore a small dress. He put her on her, making her eyes open up slightly to see him.

"K-Ko-" She said before passing out, with him picking her up in his arms.

_"...It's ok Kory...You're ok now..." _Koda thought to himself as he walked out of the house, with everyone seeing in wide eyes, then looked at Marine. "You...Can you..." She nodded.

"I'll do all I can." Marine said reassuringly, with him nodding and taking her to a tent, with the party following except Mass, for he was only watching.

**I thought that the worst thing Blackheart could ever do was use somebody you cared for into your own weapon for manipulation...But attempting to murder a small kid and leaving them to die...Was something that could never be forgiven...It was...Cruel. **

He then caught up with everyone, hoping for Kory to be ok.

**_Multiple Hours Later_**

"...I did all I could." Marine said after her hands were covered in a Green energy over Kory's body and removed them while the party was in the tent, with Koda nodding.

"I...Thank you for doing this deed...I truly mean it." He said as everyone watched Kory sleeping, wondering if she'll wake up before she moved, surprising them until she woke up, looking around.

"Where...Where am I?" Kory asked until she saw Koda, making her smile largely. "Koko!" She quickly hugged him tightly, with him not smiling but hugged her back. "I missed you so much!" She stopped hugging and looked at him, ignoring his looks now. "Are you here to stay forever now? Like you said you would with mommy and me?" He looked down sadly, knowing that wasn't the case.

"...No, not yet." He said, which made Kory sad and look down due to that emotion. "Your big brother still...Has to go do what he needs to...I only came back to make sure you're safe...I'm glad you are..." She looked at him sadly, hearing this.

"Ok..." She said as she got up and left the tent, making Koda look down a bit.

"...I won't want her to be in harm." He said, which caught their attention.

"I don't blame you...She's really the only family you have left, huh?" Bolt asked, with Koda nodding, and looked at everyone. "Well...What do you think?"

"We can't take her with us. It could be dangerous. Kupo~." Mooglet said before it began thinking and making a decision. "...I can stay here and watch over her if you want, Koda. Kupo~." They all stared at it in shock.

"What? Are you sure?" Mass asked, with it nodding.

"If that girl is special to him, then I won't mind staying to protect her in case something happened. Kupo~." Mooglet said until it looked at Koda. "If you wish for me to."

"...It would mean much to me." He said, with it nodding.

"Ok. I'll be sure to let nothing happen to her. You guys go and stop Blackheart. Kupo~." Mooglet said with a nod once again. "Just come back here so we can meet up again."

"Yeah...We will." Bolt said with a nod, then looked at Koda. "Is that all you needed from here?"

"Yes...Let us go forward now." He said as he got up. "We shall go momentarily."

"Right...I'm ready when you are, Koda." Mass said with a smile, then looked on the outside.

**Ever since I got to his homeland, despite losing his mom...I was always thinking in my head for how lucky Koda was. He had family. He had living family...While no relatives of mine were alive. But...I don't think it redeemed much of what he was now. Eh...What was I complaining about?"**

**_Later On_**

"...You're leaving again, aren't you?" Madeline asked, while the entire party was in front of her but Mooglet was next to her, with Koda nodding.

"Yes...That's correct. Knowing...Kory is safe, I have to fight with Mass Chokion to stop Blackheart. He...Will not get away with his actions." He said, in which she looked down.

"I...Understand...But..." She said before looking up at him. "...Come back to me. Alive. Please?" He looked at his hands, his shadow covered hands, then back at her.

"...I'm afraid I cannot make that promise, because I'm not sure of what my fate will be." Koda said. "I hope my fate is to die with my sins...But there's always the latter in which I live. But all I can say is for me to not make that happen." She looked down and nodded.

"I...Understand. Beat him...For all of us." Madeline said, with Koda nodding before he was hugged tightly, with him doing the same.

"Mooglet, make sure his sister's ok, alright?" Mass asked, with it nodding.

"Will do, just stop him. Kupo~." Mooglet said while, without anyone noticing, Kory walked over and looked at Koda, with him noticing.

"Kory..." He said before she started to cry a bit, with him crouching down. "I...Do not be sad. Your big brother is not going anywhere...Because I'll be with you. In your heart." He pointed it at her chest, making her stop crying a bit to look at him. "I am always with you. Do not be sad or afraid...For I will be with you...Forever." She looked down sadly, then back at Koda with a smile.

"...Ok." She said before hugging him, which might have been his last one, in which he hugged back. "I love you Koko."

"...Me...Too." Koda said before getting up, looked at the party and walked away with them following, leaving Mooglet with Kory as they just left it.

"...Go get him. Kupo~." Mooglet said to itself.


	12. The Man with the Blackest of Hearts

The party kept walking away from Koda's homeland, with him not looking back at all.

"You sure you want to go now? I'm sure we could spare a bit of time for you to spend time with your sister." Mass said, with Koda shaking his head.

"No...I served my purpose in being there. We should not waste anymore time." He said.

"Well, it that's what you want then." Bolt said while looking around. "Anyway, you know any shortcuts to get over to the next side of the island?"

"Yes, that's correct. In just a little while, we will be entering a part of the forest filled with darkness, where no sunlight has never shined in before; The Dark Forest." Koda said, making Barb a bit scared. "If there's darkness, there will be more shadows than there ever will be in this area."

"Oh no...OH no!" Barb said in a bit of fear while Bolt patted his shoulder in comfort.

"There will be more in Atlantica since it's not only where it contains where the gem is, but also the location of Blackheart." Koda said, with Mass nodding.

"I assumed that's there he will be. Had to be where it all started." He said. "Well then, we shouldn't waste anymore time and get over there."

"Agreed." Koda said before he pointed at a direction. "We head that way. That way leads to it, and beyond there is a town we can rest in for the time being."

"Alright, looks like that's where we're heading!" Mass said as Koda then lead the way, with the others following until he saw Marine and slowed down to talk to her. "Hey, how are you feeling?"

"I'm...Feeling a bit better...It's going to take a lot of time...But I'll get through it." Marine said before looking behind her. "Do you think it was a good idea to leave Mooglet with Kory?"

"It's what Mooglet wanted anyway. Besides...I think it was." He said. "I mean...At least she'll be safe for Koda's sake."

"Alright..." She said until her sights went back to him. "...But what about you?" Hearing this put him into question.

"Huh? What do you mean by that?" He asked.

"I mean...I mean with your friend." She said, making him look down. "I know it hurts you as well, with Bolt and Barb as well. If there's anyone that's in more pain than anyone...It's you. You're...A wielder and have to use it to stop your own...Your own family that was taken away from you." He kept his head down, hearing what she's saying. "I'm...Sorry you have to go through this."

"I know...But I'm ok." Mass said as he looked up to her and smiled. "But let's not worry about that too much. Let's just focus on getting into and through this Dark Forest so we can get to the town we need to get on over to Atlantica. Alright?" She looked at him, seeing the small amount of pain inside him for talking about it, but nodded.

"Alright, yeah. Let's go that." Marine said as they kept following Koda, while someone in the shadows watched them.

**Truth was...It did hurt me. It hurt me in more ways than one. But...The Moon Spear wasn't what hurt me. Dealing with Haruma...Well, I don't even WANT to think about dealing with him.**

**_Near the Dark Forest_**

The party kept walking through the forest while the light from within started to dim slowly but surely, signifying they were closing in on the Dark Forest, making Barb a bit scared.

"I'm scared..." He said in a bit of fear, with Mass picking him up and holding in his arms.

"How much farther is this part of the forest?" Marine asked while looking around.

"We're entering the Dark Forest. It shouldn't be too long." Koda said while the party just kept walking and the light from the sky finally dimmed away, showing they were now in the Dark Forest. "We're here...This is it." They all looked around the area, seeing Shadows from within and near trees watching them.

"Oh man...When you said more would be here, you weren't kidding..." Bolt said while one Shadow jumped in front of them and attempted to attack, with them preparing, but stopped as it bowed down. Seeing this made them surprised but also in question. "Is...It bowing down to us?"

"No...That can't be." Koda said while he took out his sword. "Something...Is wrong here. This isn't like them. They should know that we're the enemy." He quickly slashed through it, making it burst into spirit particles, with other Shadows coming out and bowing down as well.

"What's even up with them? Is something up?" Mass asked in question while he put Barb down. "Are they bowing down to something else?"

"I suppose that would be the best suited answer." A voice said, making everyone shocked, looked at each other and then behind them to see somebody they all knew; Blackheart.

"Blackheart..." Mass said while he gripped his hands in anger and quickly summoned the Moon Spear in preparation.

"I see...So you are the light wielder." Blackheart said with a nod, then looked at Koda. "It is good to see you once again, Koda. Although it is a shame you were put into this path." He only stayed silent in anger while Marine only stared at him in fear with Bolt and Barb.

"This...This power he has...It's so powerful." Bolt said to himself.

"...You...I've been looking for you." Mass said suddenly, with Blackheart looking at him. "...You have no idea on the amount of hurt you did to everyone on here...How much destruction you made...How much pain you put on all that's alive now...You turned Haruma into what he is now...You killed Marine's dad...And now...You killed Koda's mom...I hate you...I hate you so much...I want you dead...I wanted you dead all my life... For all that YOU'VE DONE!" He pointed the weapon at him.

"...That's interesting...This is the emotions you've felt for the longest amount of time..." Blackheart said as he then created a Broadsword made of Black and Purple darkness. "Then...Show me the extension of your power."

"YOU'RE DEAD BLACKHEART!" Mass screamed as he casted Haste and Cheer on him after forming the White Magic on him, and ran toward him at full speed. He quickly swung the Moon Spear at him, only for it to be countered by parrying it with his sword, causing a small amount of light but a large amount of darkness to shroud around them, causing wind to swing around and the ground to break apart while the party stared at shock.

"Whoa! This is insane power! Is this Blackhearts strength!?" Marine asked in shock before Mass was suddenly pushed away by his power, with the rest of everyone staring at Blackheart.

"...Allow me to show you the true power of darkness itself." He said as Bolt quickly changed his arm into a blaster and began to shoot at a fast pace, which caught Blackheart's attention before he teleported in darkness behind him and sent him back with a blast of his power, sending Bolt back and made Barb suddenly react.

"BOLT!" He said in a squeak before all of his fear was put aside, pulled out his dagger, and quickly ran as fast as he could toward Blackheart, with him swinging it around as fast as possible, but he only blasted him away, hard enough to blast a part of him off. The small amounts of robotics parts just flew around the area, including the dagger, as he just stared at it in shock. "My parts... System...Shutting...Down." His eyes suddenly flashed into darkness, making him land on the ground with no motion shocking Marine the most.

"BARB!" She said before looking at Blackheart in anger while Bolt recovered from the knockback, with him seeing what happened in shock.

"...Give up your petty attempts. All of it will soon be in vein." Blackheart said as Mass slowly recovered, saw Barb in shock, then back at Blackheart in anger.

"That's...IT! YOU'RE FINISHED!" He yelled as he quickly ran toward him with Bolt and Koda doing with same. Both Mass and Koda quickly swung their weapons at him, only for him to quickly parry them with his sword of darkness while Bolt tried his best to shoot him with his blaster but they too were reflected by his weapon. Koda slowly began to be covered in a Purple aura, sacrificing and draining his soul for more power as it caused darkness to flow from the outside.

"This is where you will rest Blackheart!" Koda said as his attacks kept getting stronger and stronger, but the more it was, the more he slowly began to become weaker due to using too much of his soul. He ignored this as best as he could and kept slashing as much as possible while Bolt stopped shooting to charge up his blaster at his full power and was about to shoot it off but Blackheart saw this as a weak spot and suddenly stabbed through his chest, shocking them.

"BOLT! NO!" Mass yelled, with the stab Blackheart made hitting his core, making his chest explode, malfunction, and sent against a tree, deactivated. Seeing this made Mass even more mad.

"...Your slowly losing in numbers. Flee when you can." Blackheart said as the darkness on Koda's blade bursted in pure energy and attempted to stab him in the back, but he reacted quickly by stabbing him in the hip, stopping and shocking him. "...As I stated before...Nothing will save you from the cause of the action you committed. Now...This is the consequences." He pulled the sword out, making Koda drop onto the ground with a puddle of blood forming while Mass attempted to slash him but he was sent back against a tree with a dark blast, making him it and slouch.

"Oh no...Oh no..." Marine said while looking at the two of them, took out her staff, and attempted to do a Cure spell but Blackheart saw her before she could finish, making her freeze.

"...It appears you are the last remaining member of this party. The weakest of them all." He said as he slowly began to walk over to her, making her step back in fear. "Nobody is here to assist you now. None of your White Magic such as Holy, nothing can save you from this fate." He was about to slash her with darkness powering it up, but she blocked it with a hexagonal Cyan shield, making darkness flow out as it also caused her White robes to disintegrate quickly. He kept attacking the shield while Mass slowly began to come around again, seeing what was happening as his eyes widened and ran toward Blackheart.

"BLACKHEART!" He yelled as he jumped and swung the Moon Spear at him, only for Blackheart to quickly counter it quickly with his sword, causing more darkness to flow through. They kept doing this until it finally knocked Mass back, but at that very second, he stabbed him in the heart, stopping and shocking everyone.

"...Your journey has now reached its end." Blackheart said as he threw Mass off of his sword, making him land on the ground while he started to bleed to death and both of their weapons fading away.

"M-Mass...No...Please no..." Marine said before Blackheart looked over at her, putting her into a state of fear.

"...The deed is done...Return to your home. Your times of travel are now over...They will not recover from this." He said as he turned and walked away, leaving the fear-filled Marine behind while she only stared in shock, then looked at everyone, now lying there as she ran over to Mass.

"Mass! Mass..." She said while she began to cry sadly and in heartbreak, seeing his eyes filled with no life. "Please...Don't leave us...Don't leave me!" She quickly covered her hands in Green energy and began to heal his wound, hoping to bring him back. "Please...Please wake up! PLEASE WAKE UP!" She started crying, not knowing on what to do while, unknown to her, Mass's spirit was somewhere else, but not dead.


	13. The Truth

_**?**_

There was a blinding light in the area, covering everything.

**I didn't know where I was. All I could remember was the pure impact of Blackheart's stab...I felt...Dead. Dead, lost, and...Gone. Like my spirit was no longer existent. I wondered...Where was I? What was this place I was in? And...Was this the afterlife? Where everyone I ever knew rested?**

Mass was shown within the light, floating inside the light as it appeared that he was dead or asleep until he woke up, making him get up but saw he was floating.

"W-What? Where...Where am I? What is this place?" He asked while looking around in question.

**"It appears you are finally breathing through the coma of death, my child."  
><strong>  
>His eyes widened, making him look around quickly.<p>

"Aurora? Is that you? Is this...Another dream?" He asked in shock.

_"This is far from the illusion you think you are in. This is...Reality."  
><em>  
>"Ultor? You're here too?" Mass asked as he stopped and looked down. "Can I at least see you two in person? I want to talk to you guys. I...Have some questions." There was no answer until there was a Blue and Orange burst of energy behind him, making him look to see Aurora and Ultor, a young man with Orange hair and Brown robes, along with Red eyes. "Hey..."<p>

**"It is well to see you again, Mass Chokion. But...I hoped it would not be like this." **Aurora said sadly, with Ultor nodding as well. **"You've seen the power of what Blackheart possesses with the strength of darkness, have you not?"  
><strong>  
>"Yeah...I have. He's...Stronger than I ever thought he was." Mass said while looking away. "I...I wasn't strong enough to stop him...Or to protect my friends."<p>

_"Blackheart has power like no other. A being with no purpose but to continue his role as our opposing." _Ultor said. _"You know of your focus, yes? The goal of stopping and to seal Blackheart back?"  
><em>  
>"Yeah...That's right. But...I've always wondered something. Something I that always made me wonder." Mass said as he stared at the two of them. "...Why me? Why did you choose somebody as young as me to hold the Moon Spear, when you could have chose somebody else." Both Ultor and Aurora looked at each other and nodded before looking back at him.<p>

**"Because...You are special comparing to the previous users. You hold the power of two of the most powerful lights Tetra has ever contained. All into one that even the previous ones have not had." **Aurora said while holding her hands.

_"Two lights from two parents. The two contained power like no other on Tetra. And you have inherited that power since your birth, long ago." _Ultor said as he crossed his arms.

**"And...The power of the Moon Spear now...Had to follow the family." **Aurora said as well, making Mass confused.

"Wait...I'm confused...What do you mean by that? What do you mean it had to 'Follow the family'?" He asked in question while staring at them, seeing their eyes colors, Ultor's Red eyes and Aurora's Blue eyes. He stared at them for the longest about of time before a conclusion came to his head. "...Mom? Dad? You guys are..."

**"Yes...That is correct...You...Are our son."** Aurora said, making Mass's eyes wide, wider than they ever have been before shaking his head.

"Wait...Wait a minute. How can you...But...How is that possible? I came...I came from...A human mom. How can...I be a god?" He asked in denial.

_"...It all started when Blackheart slowly began to escape from the crust." _Ultor explained, with Mass looking at him. _"We both sealed him within Tetra for the longest amount of time so he would not escape. However... The more time that passed, the more powerful he became. We did all we could to prevent this...But his power easily overpowered ours."_

**"We did not strategize long enough to think of one, but we found...We found your mother and father, with the both of them trying to have a child but could never succeed. Both of us quickly used our powers and combined our lights...Into yours, helping create you. We are...Your real parents. The very ones that created you." **Aurora said, which surprised him.

"So...I'm a Demigod then?" Mass asked, with then nodding. "Wow...To think...To think I'm the son of you two, the gods themselves... That explains the dreams I've had until I got the Moon Spear. You were preparing me for this and to communicate with me..." They nodded again, with him smiling.

**I couldn't believe it myself. I always wanted to know who my parents were, wanting to know them...But they were there...They were watching me the whole time, and I knew about them. I knew them all along and never knew it. It made me...It made me happy.**

_"...And you have been doing well on your journey up until Blackheart. He is stronger, but you are soon to be stronger than him." _Ultor said, with Mass nodding. _"You know of what your focus is now, and you are prepared to face the consequences of doing this?"_

"Being in a lot of pain to do this? Yeah, I am." Mass said, but noticed that both Ultor and Aurora looked at each other in concern, making him feel the same. "Is...Something wrong?"

_"Is...That what you think the consequences are?" _Ultor asked before closing his eyes.

**"There...Is more to it than that." **Aurora said while keeping her hands held together. **"You know that if darkness is there to unbalance Tetra, light must be made to counter it, which is the focus of the wielder. However...There is a sacrifice to this. Once the focus is completed... It will cause another imbalance. And..."**

"And? And what?" Mass asked, with both Ultor and Aurora looking at each other again then back at him.

**"...The light will then have to disappear...Along with it's wielder...**_You will fade away into a spirit, dying and to no longer exist." _They both said, making Mass shocked in disbelief.

**"...The weapon becomes one with it's wielder, creating a attachment." **Aurora said. **"It must be there in order to keep that balance when darkness exists. If not...Then Tetra will...Disappear." **He only stood there with wide eyes.

"...Was...Was I the only one...Who didn't know about this? Did...They all hide it?" Mass asked while he shook, then suddenly screamed in anger. "WHY?! WHY DID YOU-WHY DID YOU DO THIS?! TO YOUR OWN SON?!" Both of them looked down slightly, but sadly. "I-I'm your son, right?! Wasn't it...Wasn't it the parents job to protect their child from anything?! Why wasn't I told ANY OF THIS?!"

_"...We did not have any options left for us." _Ultor said. _"We had no choice but to. You...You were our last chance."_

"After...After all I told them! I told Coal I'd watch over Marine! Mooglet...Wanted to meet me again...And...Marine...I told her I'd be there for her...Just to...To see her smile." Mass said while gripping his fists in anger, but then sadness.

**"I...Had no idea it pained you this much, my son. I'm...I'm sorry." **Aurora said. **"You have all right to be angry at us...And...We would like to give you a choice now...For you now deserve it..." **Mass just stood there, listening. **"You can...Walk back to where you first began and forget all of this happened...Or you can continue the journey you fought so long and hard for." **He kept quiet still, now in thought.

**I knew I was going to be in pain, but it was nothing like this...When mom told me about this option she gave me...It made me think. Was I really...Going to leave other people to suffer just to save myself. Wasn't being there for the people you care for...Meant you did what you needed to, even if it hurt them? I thought for a while, but I knew...I knew what was right.**

"...I'll continue." Mass said as he looked up with a weak smile, making them smile back, which never happens. "I'll continue to get to Atlantica. To stop Blackheart. This isn't about me now...It's about saving everyone left."

**"If that is your choice, then I will accept it." **Aurora said while both her and Ultor formed a Blue energy ball. **"Then...We will now send you back to Tetra, to finish the journey you are on."**

_"Remember, the closer you are to the light, and the stronger it is, the stronger darkness becomes." _Ultor said, with Mass nodding. _"We are...Glad to meet you once more, my son. We shall see you in the aftermath. Will you?"_

"...Count on it." Mass said while gripping his fists tightly with a small, but determined, smile as they threw the energy ball at him, destroying the world filled with light as it turned into darkness.

**It was at that day...Everything about me changed. It no longer mattered what was in my way. I was now here...I was now here to stop Blackheart, and end it all. **


	14. Recovery

**_Ruins of Atlantica _**

The dark castle in which is owned by Blackheart was empty, cold, and dead with the exception of the Shadows inside the darkness until Blackheart entered and walked through the hallways in his victory.

_"...The deed is now done, and the wielder is no longer. All that remains of his is his body, and the lost focus-" _Blackheart said until he stopped, feeling Mass's presence still existing. _"What? He still lives? How...Is it possible? Could it...Be because of Aurora and Ultor?" _He closed his eyes and kept walking. _"I see...Then I shall wait for their arrival if even an ambush will not stop him." _He feels all of the shadows nearby, but one in particular was not present to him by some unknown reason; Haruma. _"I do not sense him nearby...Perhaps he too has changed paths...No matter...Mass Chokion will be dealt with soon." _He stood there and waited while a pair of Red eyes, Haruma's eyes, which as now darker and sinister than ever, stared at him with a smile.

**_?_**

Mass slowly began to wake up, feeling a bit hurt and weak as he found himself looking at what appeared to be a ceiling, making him suddenly get up to look around, seeing he was inside what appeared to be a hospital.

"What the...Where am I?" He asked himself as he looked at himself as well, seeing he's shirtless and covered in bandages that was stained with blood, making him remember what happened and of the dream he had.

**I actually thought at first that it was all a bad dream, and what the consequences of the focus was not real. But...I knew now that this WAS my fate. And there was no going back from it now.**

He looked down a bit sadly until the door opened, seeing it was Marine, and seeing him awake made her eyes widen.

"M-Mass..." She said before she quickly ran and hugged him tightly, surprising him slightly as he hugged back. "I-I'm glad you're ok...I thought I lost you..."

"I'm...Not dead yet. Far from it." He said, but he did not smile by this, which Marine noticed after she stopped hugging him.

"Are you ok? You...Don't look like yourself." She said, with him nodding.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry." Mass lied, knowing he's not fine by the fact of what he's about to go through, with Marine staring at him in question, wondering if he's lying by some way or form until the door opened again, seeing it was Koda. "Hey! You're ok!"

"It is nice to see you are ok yourself. We both believe you would not make it." Koda said with a nod, then looked at Marine. "This woman was the one who brought us here. All of us."

"You know...I've been wondering lately...Where ARE we anyway?" Mass asked as he slowly got up and walked over to a window, seeing he was inside a slightly destroyed city that looked empty but still had people from within. "Are we...In a city now?"

"This is Crystalmondia. This is the city we planned to rest after passing The Dark Forest." Koda said while looking as well. "It took Marine at least a day to take us over there, but...We made it. I just hoped we would have arrived without any wounds."

"Really? I've been out for a day?" Mass asked, with Marine nodding sadly.

"I really thought...You were gone. You scared me so much..." She said while gripping her hands together, trying to support herself, with him nodding and looked at everyone, seeing Bolt and Barb wasn't there.

"Where's Bolt and Barb?" Mass asked in a bit of worry.

"They're getting repaired after what happened. They should nearly be done." Marine said, with him nodding once again.

"Alright then, let's see them then. I want to know if they're ok." Mass said before walking out through the door, leaving Marine and Koda in question.

"Is he going to be fine? He does not seem like he was before." Koda asked, with her shrugging.

"I don't know...He says he's fine...But something is really wrong with him. I don't know what." Marine said as she then looked at Koda. "We should ask him soon. But for now, let's go see Bolt and Barb." He nodded and followed Mass, in which he exited the hospital to see the city he was inside. It was half destroyed but was still somewhat alive, for people walked through the streets.

"Whoa...Never would have thought a place like this would survive at a time like this." He said to himself while Marine and Koda finally caught up to him, to which he noticed. "Alright, take me to where Bolt and Barb are at so we can head out."

"Already? Shouldn't you rest?" Marine asked, with him shaking his head.

"No! We can't waste anymore time that we have already! We need to get over to Atlantica quickly so we can stop Blackheart once and for all! We've wasted enough time recovering!" Mass said before turning around. "We have to...People have suffered enough already."

"...Is this because of your loss?" Koda asked, in which Mass became silent. "...So...It is that very reason, isn't it?"

"No...That's not it...You guys...Wouldn't understand..." He said, making Marine a bit hurt from the inside but he didn't notice it and looked at them. "Anyway, take me to them." She slowly nodded and walked forward with Koda, leading Mass to what appeared to be a repair shop, and entered in, seeing the fully repaired Bolt and Barb, making him smile. "Hey guys..." They turned to him, making them happy.

"MASS!" Both of them said as they ran over and jumped onto him, making him nearly lose his balance but finally recovered.

"Mass! We're glad you're ok!" Barb said with a squeak.

"We thought you were dead!" Bolt said as well, in which Mass chuckled by the response.

"Don't worry guys. I'm fine. I'm not gonna die just yet." He said as he put them down and looked at everyone. "Well guys, hope you're all prepared, because we're leaving in a little bit. To Atlantica."

"What? Already? Are you sure you want to? After we've been here for..." Bolt asked before he looked through the last time he was activated on his database from inside himself. "...A day? It's been that long? Wow..."

"Yeah...I'm ready to. We can't waste anymore time here. Blackheart could be making everything worse by the minute. We have to hurry." Mass said as he looked over to Koda. "Where are we going now?"

"We now head North-East. It's where Atlantica is suppose to be. There should be some transportation there to help us move over there. But between there and here is...The Twilight Plains." Koda said.

"The...Twilight Plains?" Barb asked in wonder and looked around. "Anyone heard of it before?"

"No, I never did." Marine said before looking at Koda. "What is it?"

"It will be explained when we arrive there." He said as he looked at everyone. "If you are all prepared, then we shall move on."

"I am. Let's get over there quickly." Mass said as he then walked toward the direction Koda said it was in, catching them by surprise but followed him regardless.

**It was finally time. I wasn't going to let anything slow me down now. This was finally the time where we were close to stopping Blackheart. But...The more I walked...The more I realized that I...I was closer to...To dying.**

Mass slowed down a bit to look at the city behind him, knowing this was the final time he was going to see it, and continued walking at a fast pace while everyone followed.


	15. The Twilight Plains

**_Nearly Outside of The Forest_**

The party followed a trail that led from Crystalmondia, all the way through the forest, hopefully leading to The Twilight Plains.

"Sheesh, how much further is this place?" Mass asked in patiently. "This is far by the longest travel I've been on in this entire trip."

"That's probably because you're aching to get over to Atlantica." Bolt said as he looked over to Koda. "How much further is this place?"

"That is unknown to me. It could take a long amount of time, perhaps longer than right now." He said, with Mass looking down. "But we must be patient. It take time to get to our location." It wasn't until then they saw an open space in the forest, showing off light in the distance, surprising them.

"Is that it? It's gotta be!" Mass said as he quickly ran over there with everyone following until they passed through it, seeing a sight like no other. They were all on a large cliff so they could see a large set of plains with mountains around the sides, small animals walking around, and flowers around the area, while behind the mountains laid a large ocean of water that expanded beyond that point. "Is...This it?"

"Yes, that's right. This is The Twilight Plains." Koda said while crossing his arms. "These plains have always been here for centuries, ever since the Moon Spear came into existence. These plains...Are legendary and notorious." Everybody just stared at it, listening. "This is the place where...Many stories of the wielders have ended, and where light and darkness has clashed multiple times. Where there are no people to be harmed. No town or cities to be destroyed...Fate is what ended here. Many have given up in this very place, for this is the sight that brought them to that very choice." He looks over to Mass, seeing he was staring at the fields. "Do you still plan to move on ahead with your focus?" He only stared at the sight more until he nodded.

"Yeah...I do." Mass said while popping his knuckles.

**Truth was...I actually didn't want to. Seeing a place this beautiful, something I've never seen before in my entire life, made me feel relaxed. Like I wanted to stop what I was doing and rest here. But I knew that wouldn't be the case. Because I knew if I wanted a place like this to exist...I had to do what I needed to. **

He stared at it more, then looked at them.

"...Let's go. We've got an empire to stop." Mass said as he turned and walked, making everyone except Koda worried.

"Hey, Mass, are you ok?" Barb asked, but he only ignored him and kept walking, in which made him even more worried. "Mass?"

"Hey Mass! Are you sure you're ok?" Bolt then asked, but he too was ignored, with him looking at them. "What's even up with him? He really doesn't seem like himself."

"Something is bothering him for sure...But I'm not sure what." Marine said as she stared at Mass, who was still walking. "He says he's fine...But...He's a really bad liar. I want to help him...But he just keeps pushing us away." They all stayed silent before Koda then followed him, with everyone doing the same one by one, catching up to him while he walked seriously. "Hey! Wait up!" He just kept walking, completely ignoring her. "Hey! Are you listening?"

"Yeah! I am!" Mass said while looking behind him, seeing the party. "But we can't waste any time! We gotta get to Atlantica!"

"We can't do that if you won't slow down!" Bolt said, with Mass thinking about what he said until he started to slow down, letting them catch up.

"Thank you!" Marine said as they all started walking together. "Jeez...I know you're impatient and all, but you've got to let us be with you."

"I know...I'm sorry...I just need to get to him before things get any worse than they already are." Mass said while looking around, seeing the population of small rabbits, sheep, and what appeared to be wolves.

"I know you are. And we do too. But we have to do this together...You can't let wanting to beat him become an obsession." Marine said, making her worried. "What's really happening to make you like this? Did it hurt you? You can...Trust us with anything." He looked over them, seeing their eyes as he sighed.

"...When we're near to beating Blackheart, I'll let you all know on what's happening...Promise." Mass said as she attempted to talk but there was suddenly a large chirping sound, making them all look to see a large Yellow bird on it's large two legs with a pair of wings, long neck and Orange beak, taking them by surprise. "WHAT THE-" The large bird chirped in happiness as it ran over to Mass, picked him up by it's beak, and threw him up. "WHOA, WHOA, WHOA!" He flew until he landed on it's back, making it chirp once again while he slowly recovered and sat on it's back. "Hey, birdy! What was that for!"

"It's not just a bird! It's a Chocobo!" Marine said while she began to pet it's head softly with a smile.

"A Chocobo?" Barb asked in wonder as he stared at it, with the Chocobo looking at him and chirped happily, making him smile.

"They're mystical creatures. They're really rare now, but they were used for transportation." Marine said as she kept petting it's head, to which it chirped happily. "Aren't you a cutie?"

"Wait...Transportation?" Mass said until he looked at the Chocobo with a smile. "Is that right, huh?" It looked at him and chirped with happiness. "Well then, how about we find some others like yourself, huh?" It chirped happily once more and jumped up, catching everyone except Koda off guard as Mass just kept his grip tight. "Whoa there! Easy! Let's go then!" It chirped, turned, and quickly ran while he held on. "Yikes! I said easy!" He looked over them. "I'll be right back I guess! I'll try to bring some more Chocobo's then!" He quickly gripped on it's feathers, hoping to hang onto something while he was taken somewhere, deep into the plains. "Whoa! Not so far big guy! I gotta make it back to-" It suddenly stopped, making him fall over onto the ground. "Ow! Jeez!" He slowly got up and shook his head, hoping to get any dirt out of his hair before looking around to see a small nest, with there being another Chocobo, and only one. He was put into question until he put it all together. "Oh..."

**After seeing what I saw...I knew that it wasn't just Mooglet that was having the troubles of being nearly the last of it's race...But it was also the Chocobo's. Blackheart must have gotten to them like they got to us, and to the Moogles as well. Those two were all that was left in all of Tetra, and they were lucky enough to try and make more of them. I felt that I owed it to them that Blackheart would disappear, not for me or not only because it's my focus, but because it's for things like Mooglet and these Chocobo's.**

Mass slowly walked over to the nest, observing the eggs slightly.

"Oh man...I feel so bad for you guys...With you two being the last of your kind..." He said to the Chocobo's, knowing they can't respond, but they chirped sadly as he gently picked up an egg to observe it, feeling the warmth of it before placing it down and looking at them with a weak smile. "It's alright. You won't have to worry about it much longer. Because it's all going to end soon. I promise." The Chocobo's chirped happily while jumping up. "But if I'm gonna do that, I'll need you guys to take me and my friends somewhere. Think you two can help me with that?" They chirped happily as one on them threw him on his back, surprising him. "Hey now! Easy!" The Chocobo that lead Mass there quickly ran back to the party, with the other one following while he kept hold of it. "Easy! Easy now!" He held on as best as he could until they made it back to the party, in which they made a sudden stop and make him fall on the ground, again, to which he picked himself up to look at everyone. "Hey, I'm back."

"You brought another one." Bolt said as he walked over to it and observed it. "Where are the others?" Mass looked down sadly, to which he noticed and looked down. "Oh...So these..."

"It should carry at least one person and possibly a robot." Koda said while crossing his arms. "I'll follow you all from behind. I have the ability to seep into the ground as a shadow, increasing my speed."

"Alright then. Me and Barb will take one while Marine and Bolt take the other." Mass said, with everyone nodding.

"Then I will see you all then." Koda said before seeping into the ground like a shadow while the two separate groups got onto the different Chocobo's.

"Alright, now let's go!" Mass said as he patted the Chocobo's head, making it suddenly run with the other one.

"WHOA! This is crazy!" Barb said, while he hung on and trying not to fall over.

"Tell me about it!" Bolt said as he was in the same position as Barb but he quickly recovered.

"This is cool! I'm actually riding a Chocobo!" Marine said happily while observing the plains, seeing everything around as Mass smiled at this but looked down sadly, knowing this was going to be the only time like this he'd ever be near one, which she caught. "Something must be really bothering you." He quickly noticed this and looked at her.

"I'm fine. Really. I've just been thinking lately." Mass lied with a smile. "Don't worry too much, ok? Let's just get over there and get to Atlantica so we can end this." He looked forward, watching the direction they were being taken to.

**I didn't say it to keep it from them. I just didn't want to tell them yet because it could hurt them...I knew I had to tell them at some point, but...Not now. It can't be now.**

They kept riding the Chocobo's to the mountains until they all saw a cave shown from the outside, which made them suddenly stop and shake in fear, but not before Barb lost his grip and was about to fly off but Mass quickly caught him.

"Gotcha!" He said while he held Barb by the leg, which stopped him, then looked at the Chocobo's expressions. "Hey, what's wrong?" He looked over to the cave while Koda formed back to his normal form. "Something in there scaring them?"

"Not sure. But we'll have to enter to discover this." Koda said as they nodded and dismounted off of and looked at them.

"Thanks again guys. You head on back to your nest. Your babies need you." Mass said with a weak smile, which Marine noticed. "I'll make sure Tetra will be a safe place for you and them. I promise." They chirped and jumped happily as they ran back to the direction of the nest, and kept running until they were no longer seen. Mass then looked at the cave, took a deep breath and began to enter inside, with everyone watching before following.


	16. Nearing the Edge of Goals and Death

_**Inside the Cave**_

Mass walked through the inside of it while the others followed, seeing nothing but darkness from within.

"Man, why is this place so dark? You'd think there'd be a light or something!" Mass said while he kept walking until at a certain point, he found a group of rays of light coming from the top, to which he was they were all within a cavern filled with large puddles of water, shining large jewels all around because of the light, and a large amount of huge rocks. "Whoa...A cavern..."

"Koda, did you know about this place?" Bolt asked, to which he shook his head.

"No, I did not. Nobody has ever reached at this location before. And if they did..." Koda said as he looked over to the side, seeing a floating skeleton from inside, with everyone else looking with wide eyes. "...They most likely died."

"Well...Not me." Mass said while looking back at the walls of the cavern. "We didn't come this far just to die. Right?"

"You...You're not scared?" Marine asked, to which he shook his head.

"...Not anymore. Let's go so we can get to the other side. We shouldn't waste more time." He said as he began to walk down the caverns, alone for they only watched.

"Hey! Wait up!" Barb said as everybody then began to follow him, with him not noticing but kept walking.

"Get ready Blackheart...I'm coming for you." Mass said to himself as he popped his fists in preparation, waiting to finally get to him while from within the distance, a shadow-like beast was watching the party, but then quickly jumped in the water, catching their attention.

"What was that?" Marine said while she took out her staff and Mass summoning his Moon Spear.

"It appears we are not alone." Koda said as he took his sword out, and looked all around the area until it came out of the water, revealing itself to a large fifty-foot Purple Behemoth with Brown fur on it's legs, neck, and back, large White horns and bones coming out of it's back as well, and teeth that was oversized for it's mouth.

"HOLY! WHAT IS THAT THING?!" Bolt asked in shock.

"It's a Behemoth! A rare species that will turn any human into shreds!" Marine said while backing up.

"Then it's about time I show this thing what WE can do!" Mass said as he quickly ran over to the Behemoth while he swished it's claws around, to which he dodged quickly and quickly slashed it across the arm, making it scream and hit him, but was covered by a Green shield, revealing for it to be from Marine. "Thanks!" He quickly recovered and was about to counter it but the Behemoth was about to attack back. It attempted to do so but was suddenly shot in the chest, causing it to scream and look to see where it came from, witnessing it came from Bolt himself.

"Come on! Let's see what you've got!" Bolt yelled while he kept shooting until Mass quickly prepared the Moon Spear and slashed it across the Behemoth's face, making it scream in pure pain as he also jumped on it's horn to get extra air time. At the same time, Koda forced some of his soul into his blade, making it glow Purple as he quickly jumped at the opposite direction while the Behemoth tried to stop him with it's hand, but he only slashed through it, making blood spill and fly along with parts of it falling off, making it scream more in pure pain as he also then did the same thing Mass did.

"It is time to put you out of your misery!" Koda said as his power then increased largely and passed by Mass. "Let our two powers combine?"

"Worth a try!" Mass said while gripping on the Moon Spear tighter, and then both him and Koda swung their weapons near the Behemoth's head and finally slashed through it, causing it to spill even more blood and scream in the most purest of agony but stopped before landing back into the water, with the two of them landing and the blood rising on top of the water along with spirit particles. They all looked at this before he nodded. "We did it! We just beat a Behemoth!"

"I-I never thought we'd do it." Marine said, with Bolt nodding.

"Same here. But...It looks like we did something that's nearly impossible." He said.

"I told you. We didn't come THIS far to die." Mass said while turning to them with a fake smile, to which became a bit more noticeable this time before it faded away. "Come on. Let's get going. We have a-" There was suddenly Shadow's surrounding them, created from the shadow within the cavern, which surprised everybody as they prepared themselves. "Well hey there! Haven't fought you guys in a while! Come here to play?" They only stood there until they all bursted into shadow particles and floated over to where the spirit particles of the Behemoth was at, consuming and corrupting them before creating a beam that aimed back to where it was, surprising them.

"Oh no...Don't tell me..." Bolt said while preparing his blaster.

"...Stay on guard!" Koda said before a large explosion of water came out, revealing to be the same Behemoth but was now covered in shadows and in a Black and Red aura, screaming in anger loudly, making the cavern shake a bit.

"Whoa! It's causing the entire place to shake!" Mass said while the Behemoth just kept roaring loudly as it still caused the cavern to fall apart. "Oh man! It's starting to fall apart! We need to get out of here!"

"Tell me about it!" Marine said as everybody quickly ran, with Barb a bit behind on it while the Shadow Behemoth then roared once more and chased them along with creating shadow tendrils and swung it around the area, to which they dodged as fast as possible but they hit the walls of the cavern, making it crack and fall apart more.

"The cavern's gonna end up killing us at some point!" Mass said while swinging his weapon around, destroying some of the shadows in front of them as they kept running, feeling like forever until they all saw a light at the end. "There it is! Let's speed it up!" He increased his speed, with the others except Barb, for he was starting to slow down. The rest of them quickly got out, but saw he was missing. "Barb?" They all looked around and then back in the cavern, seeing him being chased by the Shadow Behemoth. "BARB! HURRY UP!"

"I-I-I'M TRYING!" He said in a squeaky voice before tripping and his dagger being sent away, leaving them in shock.

"BARB!" Bolt yelled as Barb slowly began to recover, but was then near the Shadow Behemoth, making him shake in complete fear. It roared loudly, ready to destroy him while a large piece of the cavern was positioned to crush him. He quickly grabbed the dagger and stabbed it into it's leg, keeping it there until it's roar turned from anger into pain, to which he took this opportunity and ran for his life to the exit while it moved around but was suddenly stopped by the piece hitting it's head, smashing it.

"OH NO, OH NO, OH NO!" Barb screamed in fear while he kept running, and just when parts of it was being covered by debris, he jumped over the entrance a second before another piece blocked the area, with him rolling around on what appeared to be grass until he stopped slowly, looking up at the sky as everyone looked down with a smile, except for Koda.

"Barb, that was AWESOME!" Bolt said before helping him up, making him blink in wonder.

"It-It was?" He asked.

"Hell yeah it was! You showed that Behemoth who's boss!" Mass said with a nod and patted his head. "I'm proud of you little guy. That was some quick thinking."

"I'll say!" Marine said, making Barb a bit nervous.

"Awww. Thanks guys!" He said as Mass then looked away, seeing they were now near the ocean and on the other side.

"Looks like we made it now...Finally." Mass said while looking around, seeing a small boat near the side. "Holy crap..." He quickly pulled out the boat, with them seeing it with wide eyes. "...We found it.."

"Alright! Let's head over to Atlantica now! We're almost there!" Bolt said as both Mass and Marine put the boat back into the water, ready to be used before everyone got on.

"So Koda, which direction?" Mass asked.

"Straight forward. It's there that contains the old city." Koda said while Mass nodded and kicked a rocky wall, making them go forward as they all began to sail to it, Atlantica. Mass then sat down, looking forward and waited impatiently.

**I knew...I knew this was it. It was the moment I've been waiting so long for...And it was near. I was finally near Blackhearts empire...My home. **

The boat kept moving, with everyone now waiting in patience.


	17. Atlantica

**_Twelve Hours Later  
><em>**  
>The party was in the ocean still, riding and waiting through the trip but the more they got further, the more dark the sky started to become.<p>

"Hey...The sky's getting dark!" Barb said in worry while looking around. "Why is that?"

"It looks like...Like the darkness is getting worse, or we're approaching Atlantica in a little bit." Bolt said while doing the same. "What do you think is making the darkness worse?"

"It could be that...Blackheart's power is growing as well...Or something is getting bigger than him." Marine said.

"That would be impossible." Koda said, with them looking at him. "There has never been such thing as that."

"But...Could it be entirely impossible?" Marine asked, and just as Koda was about to answer, they all noticed something in the distance; The old ruins of Atlantica. "There it is...There it actually is..." Mass slowly stood up to look at it fully, not feeling anything.

**I couldn't believe my eyes. And...I couldn't believe it even if I did. The one place I lived, and where it all started...We were finally there. It was a bittersweet moment...Because I knew about one thing. One thing without a doubt...THIS was it. This was the final chapter of my life. The last part of my story.**

"Let's get over there quickly so we can stop this thing." Mass said while crossing his arms. "I'm waiting to finally finish this."

"We all are. But yes, let's do that." Bolt said before they got up and the boat hitting the side of the island, to which they all got off to look around, seeing the knocked down buildings with lakes that had spirit particles coming out of it. "This place...This place has brought so many memories...So much has happened that started this..."

"Yeah...Right." Mass said as he started to look around himself but stopped to see something; A large Black castle from within the distance; Blackheart's castle. "There he is...That's where he'll be..."

"You wish to fight him head on without the gem?" Koda asked, in which made Mass silent. "If we have any chance of stopping him, we must acquire that object. We mustn't let impatience be the one to bring death to us."

"Alright, so do YOU know where it is?" Mass asked in response, with Bolt thinking a bit.

"This COULD be an educated guess, but don't think it's right." He said as everyone looked at him. "We should get over to the center of the ruins. Somewhere around there is where the old core of the city is. If I were to guess, that was probably the gem."

"Really? Not in a temple or anything?" Marine asked.

"We never had temples here. So that's off the list. I can try to find it as best as I can." Bolt said, in which everyone nodded.

"Alright Bolt, lead the way." Mass said as Bolt did so, with them following closely.

**It was the final chapter. Without a single doubt in my mind. I was finally here, after the longest amount of time. But...The closer we were to the gem, the closer I knew that my life was about to come to an end. And I also knew...They had all right to know, and I plan to once we're about to confront Blackheart. I knew it was going to be hard to tell them...But...This was something I wanted to do, regardless.**

They all kept following Bolt while in the distance, a shadow with Red eyes, which was more darker and sinister, Haruma, watched them in the distance as he only stared at them in the shadows, covering his entire body from being shown.

"So...Mass Chokion has finally made it...I'm amazed he and his little party made it this far...But it won't be for long..." He said as he suddenly flashed into darkness, disappearing.

**_Further into Atlantica_**

The party kept following Bolt, waiting to find the location the gem is suppose to be. They kept following him until they all saw a knocked over building, completely noticable by the other ruined but still standing buildings.

"That building over there. That should be it." Bolt said.

"That thing? What kind of building was that?" Mass asked, in which he looked at him.

"It was...Something you're father looked after the city on." He said, which surprised everybody.

"My dad?" Mass asked, not mixing up his human one with Ultor, with Bolt nodding.

"You're dad was a protector of this city. He always fought any harm that would be done here. Even against Blackheart when he wasn't the Moon Spear wielder." He said, to which Mass looked down a bit. "Your father was a brave man. He always fought for what's right for Atlantica and for you and your mom." He turned to look at the knocked over building and walked inside, seeing nothing but destroyed technology, indicating the gem was not in the location. "Huh? It's not here?"

"Where could it be then?" Marine asked in wonder, then started looking around. "Let's find something. Maybe something here can help us."

"I agree. Let us search." Koda said as everybody began to search, but before Mass did so, he looked to see a Red switch on the wall and pressed it, suddenly making the floor shake and catching everyone off guard. "What the-What's going on?!" At that moment, stairs moving downward formed on a certain part of the floor, revealing a passage way.

"Hey! It's a passage way!" Bolt said as he looked at everyone. "Come on! Let's get moving!" He walked down, with Barb and Marine following as Mass was about to follow them.

"Chokion. Hold it." Koda said, in which Mass looked at him. "I'm feeling the emotions you contain right now. You...Now know of the true consequences of accomplishing your focus. Correct?" He stared at him in shock, wondering how he knew but nodded slowly. "I see...Do you have any intention to tell everyone else?"

"Yeah, I do. Just...Not right now. I plan to when we're about to stop Blackheart." He said until he looked over to him. "Hey...How do you know about this?"

"I am one with darkness. I am to oppose to light. I know of the Moon Spears true powers because of this." Koda said. "If you plan to tell them in some time...Then very well. Do it before the time finally happens."

"Yeah...I will." Mass said as he was about to follow them with Koda, but quickly felt something behind him, making him look to see Haruma, who now had shadow tendrils on his back. "Koda...Get the others."

"What? What do you mean-" He asked before looking to see Haruma, stared, and nodded as he ran down to catch them.

"Haruma...It's you..." Mass said.

"I am not Haruma. I have told you this once before." Haruma said coldly, along with a little bit of a warped voice. "I am the darkness from within him. I am only darkness, and darkness alone...I know now that you are close to your goal...But soon, soon all of your attempts will be lost."

"You really think so, Haruma?" Mass asked in a bit of anger and summoned the Moon Spear in preparation. "Because not if I beat you before you kill me!"

"You know of the consequences...You know you will disappear from this world once your focus is completed." Haruma said darkly, making Mass look down. "You do not care of what happens regardless?"

"...Who cares if I end up dying from it or not? I'm still fighting!" Mass asked as he then looked up in anger before hearing a gasp, making his eyes widen and look behind him to see everyone standing there with wide eyes. "Guys..."

"Why...Why didn't you tell us from the beginning?" Bolt asked in a slight bit of anger. "We could have understood!"

"Whenever he told you all or not does not concern me... Regardless, you all will fall into the shadows of dispair!" Haruma said before bursting in shadows, catching all of their attention as it began to form around it's body, creating a body of dark armor and blades from it's wrists along with a Black aura. "And this very area will become you tomb!" He created a large amount of tendrils from his right arm and quickly swung it, to which they all either ducked and dodged quickly.

"Sheesh! Talk about a close call!" Mass said while he back flipped to dodge it. "Look, we'll talk about THIS later! Right now, we've got someone else to deal with." He quickly ran toward Haruma and attempted to slash him with his weapon but the shadow blades on Haruma's wrists countered it, creating waves and tendrils of shadows out of it while the two of them clashed out of that and light. "You're not getting away THIS TIME Haruma!" The waves kept coming while his broadsword began to nearly fall off the armor.

"You will not survive this. Everything you fought for will turn into shadows!" Haruma said as he parried with Mass's weapon and attempted to stab him, but he quickly saw this and recovered and countered by pushing the blade away with the Moon Crescent blade, pushing him back a bit and was about to be stabbed but countered it with a large amount of tendrils. "You're power has increased dramatically. I'm amazed, but your power will soon diminish in due time!"

"Not if there's help on the way!" A voice yelled, revealing to be Bolt, as he began to shoot at Haruma as quickly as possible with his blaster, to which he countered every single blast while Koda also ran over with his blade in hand and being covered in Purple energy, and swung it toward him, only for the attack to be stopped by his other blade while also attempting to stop Mass's, causing more darkness and light waves to come out of the clash. The strength of the struggles was strong enough to knock off Haruma's old broadsword, sending it back and away to what appears to be Barb, to which he noticed.

"Huh? It's...Haruma's old sword!" He said before he slowly took it, jumped up from the stairs, and quickly ran to the occupied Haruma, scaring Marine.

"BARB! WAIT!" She yelled as Haruma then noticed Barb running and aiming his sword at him, and out of desperation, just like with Coal, he put all of his power into the blade that was parrying with his weapon, knocking him away. He quickly turned and began to shoot a shadow spike at Barb, to which Mass saw all of this in slow motion.

_"No...Not again...NOT. THIS. TIME!" _Mass thought until he quickly hurled the Moon Spear to the shadow spike, instantly countering and sending Haruma back slightly while Barb kept running and stabbed his sword into his chest, making him scream in pure pain.

"You...YOU PESKY ROBOT!" He yelled in anger along with the Moon Spear quickly flashing back into Mass's hands, to which he ran toward him.

"This'll END IT!" He yelled, with Haruma looking at him in wide eyes until he was slashed across the body, creating a trail of light that spilled spirit particles, making him fall over in weakness.

"No...How could I...Be defeated by...By a human child wielding...The legendary weapon?" He asked while trying to get up, to which Mass only stared at him before everyone else followed.

"...I'm far from a human. I'm...We're just people. People who want all of this to end. That's it." He said.

"So...You still go on despite knowing the consequences of achieving your focus?" Haruma asked before he started to fade away into shadows, hoping to retreat. "I see...Very well. Know that this is not the last time you have seen me. I will return to make sure you all will no longer be an obstacle...But I will return...More powerful than I am now...Until then..." He faded away, leaving nothing behind as everybody stayed silent.

"Is...It true on what he said?" Marine asked. "That if you complete your focus, you die?" Mass only stayed silent but nodded, making her eyes widen in fear. "How...How could you hide this from us?"

"I didn't." Mass said to her, keeping his stare away. "I learned about it...I guess nearly a day ago. I wanted to tell you guys in a little bit...But..." He looked over to them, with sadness in his eyes. "I'm sorry for making you guys feel like this...It was never my intention to..."

"...You still want to stop Blackheart still?" Bolt asked, to which Mass nodded. "...Then alright. Let's get that gem."

"But Bolt! Mass will die!" Barb squeaked in fear, with Bolt looking at him.

"We're following Mass despite his choice. Regardless or not. We promised to. Remember? That we'd stay by his side no matter what happens?" He asked, making Barb look down sadly and nodded, with them looking at him. "Mass. Lead the way down." He looked everyone, seeing the sad but determined looks, nodded, and walked down with the others following.

**It somehow...Felt good. It felt good to know that they accepted what I chose. But I could see the hurt in them...It hurt me as well. But we knew we had to put our feelings aside, and work together this one last time.**

_**Under The Building**__  
><span>_  
>The party kept walking down the stairs, seeing ruined walls from withing. But the more they walked down, the more light that got closer to them from below, in which they finally made it to the light, seeing a shining Dark Blue diamond-looking sphere from within.<p>

"Is...This it?" Mass asked before grabbing it, feeling the light from within. "It is... This is really it."

"Wow...I've never seen anything produce this much light before." Koda said while it was being observed.

"Yeah...Same here." Mass said until the gem shined more, surprising them. "What the-What's going on?" It glowed more while also showing parts of Tetra from the inside, projecting it. The entire planet was starting to be covered in dark clouds, and started to overrun parts of towns and cities. But one caught their attention the most; Koda's homeland, for it was being covered by it while both Mooglet and Kory ran from it but was overcome by it, shocking them.

"No...My...My sister..." Koda said in shock, then closed his eyes so he could try to wipe the memory out of his head.

"My goodness...It's getting worse..." Bolt said while Barb shook in fear.

"Are...Are we going to die?" He asked.

"No, we're not. We're going to stop Blackheart before it gets any worse." Marine said before looking at Mass. "Right?" He looks at her and nods.

"Yeah. We're not gonna die now." He said as he looked at the stairs. "Let's head back up. Maybe we can try to rest up a bit before we head on over to where he is." He walked back up with the others, nearing the final battle.


	18. Lives Built From Fear

**_Main tower - Atlantica_**

The party continued walking up the stairs from underneath until they made it out, seeing the area.

"Alright, so let's rest up for a bit and gather our energy before heading to Blackheart." Koda said as all of them began to walk out, except for Mass, who's eyes caught something, seeing an old computer that had multiple disks on it. He stopped to stare at it in curiosity, which everyone noticed. "Is there something the matter?"

"No...You guys go on ahead. I want to look around a bit more." Mass said, to which made everyone look at each other then back to him.

"Are you sure?" Bolt asked, with him nodding. "Well...Alright. We'll be resting at where we got on the island." He then led the party out, leaving Mass to look at the disks, one of them saying 'Mass's First Days' in marker.

"My first days?" He asked, then looked at the computer directly and around to find the power switch. He presses it, hoping for it to work, which it did, and puts the disk within a slot, seeing the computer buzz a bit until it portrayed a video.

**_Flashback_**  
><span><em><strong>Fourteen Years Ago<strong>_

_"Ok...Ok, now is this thing on?" A deep male voice asked while holding a video camera, then pointed it at himself, revealing to be a man in his early twenties with White hair that stuck up, Green eyes, and wore White Knight armor, revealing to be Mass's father. "Yeah, I think it's on."_

_"Honey? What are you doing with that?" A female voice asked, with him pointing the camera at her, revealing to be a woman around his age with Grey hair, and Brown eyes, Mass's mother, while she held a small newborn baby; Mass. _

_"Oh, you know. Just thought I'd catch a bit of a moment with our son. I mean...You never know that one day we'll be old and want to see what is was like back when where. You know?" Mass's father asked with a chuckle, making her do the same. _

_"I guess. Just don't wake up the little guy, will ya?" She asked._

_"I promise." He said as he walked forward with the camera still in hand, and zoomed it out on her. "And there she is. My beautiful wifey, slouchin' there like a lazy good for nothin' after just giving birth. Shameful. I'd be up in a second." He laugh at his little bit of commentary, making her cover her face with her other hand and laughed as well._

_"Oh shut it you goofball. How about you try getting parts of you ripped open for birth yourself?" She asked, making him giggle._

_"Nah, I'm good." Mass's father said before aiming the camera at the newborn Mass and zoomed in. "And there he is...Our little baby boy. Isn't he beautiful?" It was at that very moment, the newborn yawned a bit while making a small squeaking noise as well, then opened it eyes, seeing the Blue and Red on different eyes. "Yeah, wanna say otherwise?" He laughed a bit. "You know...Those eyes always bothered me. Like...We don't have those. Are you sure he's mine?"_

_"Of course he is! It's just some gene thing or something. Don't worry about it too much!" Mass's mother said with a small laugh. "Just love him for who he is. Who care's what eye color he is?"_

_"Yeah...Yeah, you're right." Mass's father said before zooming out and kept the camera on both him and his mother. "Yeah...There they are...May beautiful family..." He turned the camera off._

_**Present Day**_

Mass stared at the computer, seeing the video his father made while he stared in wonder, then looked through the other disks to see nothing but random ones until he found another particular one; 'Last Message'.

"A last message?" He asked himself before taking out the disk from inside and replaced it, seeing the recording.  
><strong><br>****_Flashback  
>Day of Tetra's Destruction - Fourteen Years Ago<em>**

_Mass's father set up a camera on the computer, then sat down on a seat, showing him._

_"Hello. My name is Element Chokion. I'm not sure how much time I have left, but I have to make every second count." Element said while destruction was in the background. "The darkness from within Tetra has been released, and he...I don't know WHAT it is, but it's been killing all of us. He killed my friends, my...My wife...Everyone except my son, Mass, is all that's left of my family. I don't know if I'll really survive in this crisis, but if I do or not...I want anyone, ANYBODY, Human, Elf, Robot, or ANYTHING, to find and take him away from here. That boy...Is special to me. I'd give anything to have him with me, but if it means that I lose him for his protection, of if I die...I'll at least be glad to know he's safe." The destruction got louder, cracking the windows from outside, making him squint his eyes for a slight second but undid it to look at the camera. "I'll be entering this into a transmission to any robot still functioning if possible. Mass...If you ever find this video...I want you to know that me...And you mother love you...Always and forever." It then got closer, making him scared. "I love you. And goodbye." He shut off the camera, took a deep breath, and got up to face against the 'darkness'; Blackheart_

**_Present Day_****  
><strong>  
>He stared at the computer once again, but this time he started to tear up a bit, knowing of what his father said.<p>

**He did everything in his power to protect me. He sacrificed so much just to make sure I was safe. But...I knew what happened to him. We all knew it. But...I finally learned on what his name was...Element Chokion. Somebody...How got Bolt and Barb to find and rescue me...I wanted to tell him so many thing...For a first thing to say...Is saying 'Thank You', for everything.  
><strong>  
>He wiped the tears out of his eyes, looked outside to see a small bit of smoke in the distance, and followed it.<p>

**_At The Camp_****  
><strong>  
>Mass followed the smoke still to see the party sitting down while Marine tried to light a fire with a stick, to which he walked forward and making them notice.<p>

"Looks like you made it." Bolt said before Mass finally walked over and sat down near him. "Did you find something you were looking for?" He slowly nodded. "Do you know what it was?" He only stayed silent, indicating that he knows something Bolt knows, making him nod. "You...Saw the message you dad made then?" They all looked at Bolt, with Mass looking at him and nodded. "...It's how me and Barb found you. The city was in ruins, and we thought we couldn't find you. But...We heard crying. A small...Squeaky cry..." He looks at him straight in the eyes. "...We thought you were gone. We really did."

"...Why did you help me? When you didn't have to?" Mass asked.

"...Because it was the right thing to do!" Barb said as he hopped over to him. "We couldn't help it! I guess...It was in our programming to help humans. We couldn't leave you there to die! It wouldn't feel right!"

"I...I understand." Mass said until he suddenly hugged the both of them, surprising them but they hugged back. "Thank you...Thank you both for everything...I owe you guys all of this..." Suddenly, the fire started, making them smile.

"There! It's done!" Marine said while backing away and sitting down, now waiting and watching the fire from the distance.

**_Later_****  
><strong>  
>They all stared at the fire still while the sky was still gloomy, with Mass staring at it and then at the sky, seeing the spirit particles flying inside it.<p>

**...And that's all that brought us up today...I fought through many fears, enemies, and losses...  
><strong>  
>He stared at the sky more before getting up and walking to the watery lake, to which only Marine noticed and watched.<p>

**...It's all that formed me into what I am now... It all started back at Atlantica fourteen years ago...**

He walked over to the side now, seeing the particles coming out of the water still and thunder in the distance while he held onto the gem.

**...And that's where it'll all end...All that happens from here on out...Is now to not only your surprise...But to mine as well.**

He kept staring at the lightning and spirit particles, knowing the time was near, while everyone then looked.

"Hey Mass! Are you ok?" Barb asked, with Mass still staring at the distance before looking at them.

"Yeah! I'm fine. I was...Thinking I guess." He said as he started to walk over to them.

"Rest...We need it if we are to confront Blackheart once and for all." Koda said, to which Mass nodded.

"Yeah...Right." He said before sitting back down, staring at the fire, with Marine doing the same until she got up.

"I think...I need to get a bit of a drink, maybe from some part of the lake. If...That's ok." She said, which was a lie, but Koda nodded.

"Go then. Do not take long." He said as she walked away, leaving Mass a bit concerned.

"I think I'll go with her. Make sure she's ok." He said as he got up and followed Marine, seeing she was not getting any water, but she only stood near the edge to stare at the lake.

"He's near...Everything is near...Blackheart...Mass..." She said to herself while holding her own hands in support. "I know I should be strong and keep fighting to protect everyone...But...It's becoming so hard for me..."

"...Then you should try the best you can." Mass said, which surprised her as she looked at him in shock, with him walking over slowly. "It's...Been hard on all of us. We've been through a lot of stuff. We lost people...Fear starting to get the best of us...Everything. It's...It's hard." He kept walking to her, whom had her head down a bit.

"I know but...I haven't done much of anything in this group." She said, which caught him off guard.

"What? What are you talking about? You've done a lot for this group!" Mass said, with her looking at him.

"All I've ever done was just stand there while all of you were fighting. That's all I ever did. I'm...I'm the most useless in all this..." Marine said sadly. "I couldn't protect my dad from being killed...I couldn't help you with Haruma...And...I don't think I can stop Blackheart if that's all I'll ever do!" She slowly began to cry. "I'm afraid that...I'll lose you again...Because I couldn't do anything against Blackheart last time...I can't now...I'm...I'm afraid!" She then cried harshly, surprising him.

"Marine...I...I didn't know you felt this way...I'm...I'm sorry..." Mass said while she only cried, with the spirit particles floating a bit shakily for it felt her emotions, making him feel bad and sad until he slowly grasped her hands, which caught her attention as she only looked at him while still crying. "Marine...Nothing bad will happen...You're strong...If...If it wasn't for you and your quick spells...We would all be dead...You're far from useless...You're a part of this group, no matter what..."

"M-Mass...I..." Marine said as she gripped his hands tightly, not wanting to let them go while they stared at each other. Then something they didn't expect happened; They slowly moved their heads toward each other and their lips met, creating a kiss in which made the spirit particles move more along with more coming out of the lake. They slowly moved away, looking at each other. "I...I didn't mean for...I know you have...And we just..."

"Hey...It's ok...Don't worry about it." Mass said with a smile, a real one since he learned of the truth, and knew it was the last one, to which she smiled back. "Come on. Let's head back, if you're ok."

"Yeah...I am now." Marine said, with him nodding as the new couple walked together back to the camp, seeing them still sitting near the fire.

"Hey, it's time to get ready. I'm ready to head on over." Mass said after they looked due to them appearing once again.

"You sure? We'll be going through a rough patch now." Bolt asked before both Mass and Marine looked at each other and nodded.

"Yeah, I'm ready." Marine said.

"As you wish then. Let us prepare for our journey." Koda said as they all got up, put out the flame on the fire place, and looked at the castle before they all walked to it, with Mass and Marine staring at it and then at each other.

"Ready?" Mass asked with a smile, to which she nodded.

"...Yes." She said as the two of them walked together, and not to far behind while holding hands in support, knowing the time was close.


	19. One Final Confrontation

**_Ruins of Atlantica - Within the Castle_**

Blackheart stood there from within his castles, standing in the hallways with his eyes closed in patience, waiting until they opened.

"So...They have arrived at long last." He said to himself before turning and walking away, toward the enterance. "It appears that it is now the time for light and darkness to clash once more. On the land in which all darkness has begun." He kept walking while within the shadows, Haruma stared weakly, hurt from the last battle until he absorbed more shadows, regaining and increasing his power.

"Soon...Your power will be mine...And it will become my darkness...**Soon..." **He said with his eyes glowing darkly, giving of an even more sinister look.

**_Outside of the Castle_**

The party kept walking through the ruins, still seeing nothing but spirit particles, lakes, thunder all the more while seeing them getting closer to the castle.

"We're almost there...I can't believe we're nearly there." Mass said to himself while stretching the fingers on his hands readily.

"You sure you're ready to do this? Once we get in, there's no way out. We'll most likely die here." Bolt asked, to which Mass nodded.

"Yeah, I'm sure. We didn't get this far just to give up." He said as he looked at the castle. "I'm just as ready as you guys are."

"I am ready." Koda said with a nod.

"Same here." Marine said while smiling at Mass.

"I'm ready!" Barb said as well.

"I'm following you wherever you want to." Bolt said with a nod, making Mass smile as they all finally made it to the front of the castle, seeing the dark and sinister door in front of them. They all stared at it for the longest amount of time, then Mass looked at everyone.

"This is it guys. On the other side of this door, Blackheart is waiting for us. And once he's gone...I'll disappear as well." He said, with them staying silent and listening in a bit of sadness. "I've never a great of friends as all of you. You all put what you wanted and loved aside to help me in this. I'll never forget it, even when I'm gone. You guys are more than a family than a group...Thank you. Thank you guys for everything. And whatever happens after the battle with Blackheart...I wish all of you good luck." He looks at Marine, who looked back, and stared at her, hoping that she'll be ok, then back at the door. "Alright guys...Let's do this." He took out the gem, having it shine brightly and making the door open, to which they entered and saw Blackheart, standing and waiting them with his back turned. "Blackheart!" He only stood there and began to slowly turn.

"So...You have finally arrived." Blackheart said with his arms crossed. "Are you here to put down your revenge for our last encounter?"

"No...Not by a long shot." Mass said before showing him the gem, to which he looked at. "I'm here to put an end to you. You've hurt and destroyed Tetra for long enough. You took people's lives, and turned them into shadows, your own personal puppets, along with turning everyone I loved into one of them, or at worst, killing them." He then summoned the Moon Spear, with everyone else taking out their weapons, Barb with Haruma's old Broadsword. "We're going to stop you from doing any more of it."

"Is that true?" Blackheart asked, closing his eyes. "Would you still continue to complete the focus of stopping me, even if you know of what the consequences are?"

"Who cares about that? Defeating you is what's best for Tetra, not for me and my focus. I WILL stop you, or die trying!" Mass said, to which made Blackheart open his eyes and opened his arms up.

"I see...Very well. All dreams...Your focus, and Tetra...Will soon disappear in the darkness!" He said as he suddenly burst into a dark aura, taking everyone off guard. "Come to me, Mass Chokion, and face the same fate as your family."

"This is it guys! No holding BACK!" Mass yelled, focusing White Magic into his hands and cast both Haste and Cheer on him, the strongest as possible, and ran quickly toward him along with swiniging his weapon, only for Blackheart to summon his sword of darkness and countered it, creating a wave of light and darkness to cover the entire area, causing parts of the castle to crack. "This all ends HERE Blackheart!"

"Your power shall over overturned by the strength of darkness. All hope will be put into it's eternal slumber!" He said as he made his power increase tremendously, causing more darkness to come out but the gem glowed brightly within Mass's possession, causing the light to become stronger it ever was before, surprising him. "What? What is this?" Mass kept clashing with the sword of darkness before he began to attempt to slash him, only for it to be countered by the sword frequently. "This power! It's stronger than he was before! No...This power is different!" At the very same moment, Koda quickly jumped in with his sword in hand, glowing in a large amount of Purple, and began to slash alongside with Mass, making it harder for Blackheart to counter them.

"Your very days of control are soon to be over! The darkness, misery, and sins will soon be atoned!" Koda said while he kept slashing with Mass before Barb, wielding Haruma's old broadsword still, came in and started to slash as well, with him being covered with the light created by the gem, increasing his strength as he kept slashing. They all formed a large barrage of sword attacks, starting to slowly overwhelm Blackheart as the light became larger than the darkness.

"No...This is not possible!" He said until, using the majority of his strength, pushed the three of them back while Bolt ran over and jumped through them.

"Mass! Hand me the gem!" Bolt yelled, with Mass nodding and throwing it at him, which he caught and began to be covered with electricity, overloading him but increased his power. He then took out his blaster and begun to shoot at Blackheart, which he noticed and attempted to shoot darkness at him to counter it, causing a large blast of light and darkness to spill through them and explode in it, knocking him back a bit.

"How...How can this be possible? Could it because of the gem?" He asked while Bolt was sent back and lost his grip on the gem, but it landed into the hands of Marine, who was caught off guard by it, with Blackheart then seeing her. He quickly rushed toward her as a stream of shadows, scaring her.

"Marine! Heads up!" Mass yelled as he formed White Magic into his hands and threw it toward her, creating the Red Sphere around her instantly, casting Haste onto her. "Use it quickly!"

"You will not survive!" Blackheart yelled before forming back to normal near her with his sword in hand, making her flinch while the gem in her hand glowed and created a White colored aura, shocking him along with Marine herself.

"What? Is this?" She asked until she saw Blackheart near by and attempted to stop him with using her staff, but created White light orbs and hit him, sending him back but recovered. "Is this...It's true power?" She then looked at him seriously, summoned more of the orbs, and quickly shot them after swinging her staff around, making him attempt to coutner each and every one of them but some hit him, destroying parts of his cloak.

"It's time we finish THIS ONCE AND FOR ALL!" Mass yelled as he quickly ran toward Blackheart after grabbing the gem from Marine's hand, while he also glowed brightly with the Deep Blue color. "IT'S PAYBACK TIME! THIS IS WHERE IT ALL END FOR THE BOTH OF US!" He prepared the Moon Spear in his hands, creating a large amount of light from within, with Blackheart slowly recovering but was put to a halt when he was slashed by the weapon, shocking him. Mass then quickly slashed through more and more, leaving a large trail of light in sight before he quickly jumped up, threw the Gem in the air, spun as fast as possible, and just when the gem was about to pass him, he quickly kicks it, hitting Blackheart as it created an explosion of light, making the castle to slowly tumble over.

"HOLY-WATCH OUT!" Bolt yelled, with Koda quickly grabbing both him and Barb and ran out with Marine not to far behind, getting outside for the castle to finally crumble from within, destroying and left nothing remaining but debris, leaving them in shock. "Did...Did he do it?"

"He isn't dead yet, is he?" Barb asked in worry.

"No...I sense his light still there...The accomplishment has not yet been done." Koda said while he had his arms crossed. "Blackheart is still much alive...But is slowly beginning to disappear."

"So that means...We won?" Marine asked, with Koda nodding, making them all smile. "Alright! We did it!"

"This is a very emotional moment!" Bolt said happily until parts of the debris moved, revealing to be a dust covered Mass next to a half destroyed Blackheart. "It's him!" They all quickly ran over to him, which he noticed.

"Hey guys...We did it..." Mass said with a small smile, then looked at Blackheart, who was still alive and staring. "We did it...We finally did it...How does it feel? To feel powerless now? To feel like how you made everyone feel?"

"...Darkness has no emotions. It is all an illusion." Blackheart said, to which they all looked at him. "In the very end...Darkness shall exist, regardless of it's form. You cannot stop it..."

"Maybe...But why should what exists matter now?" Mass asked while crossing his arms. "Your days of ruling are finished, and now Tetra can rest in peace for all you've done these fourteen years." He waited more, waiting to fade away, but it never came. "What...What's going on? Shouldn't I...Be gone by now?"

**"That is because...I still exist..." **A warped voice said, making the party look to see Haruma, now corrupted and filled with a shadowy aura, along with having Shadow features on his body, shocking them.

"Haruma...What happened to you?" Mass asked in complete shock.

**"I am not Haruma...He is lost within the darkness. Only darkness is the being from within." **Haruma, now known as Darkness, said. **"The power has run through this being's veins. What was left of Haruma is gone, and all that rests within is now only myself, and myself alone. I am now...The equal of Blackheart, and becoming my own darkness."**

"You're...Own darkness? How..How did you..." Mass tried to ask.

**"The souls of the deceased, living inside the shadows. Absorbing each and every piece of them...Now running within me." **Darkness said, shocking them.

"You ABSORBED PEOPLE'S SOULS!? JUST FOR POWER!?" Mass asked in shock. "That's low! Even for you!"

**"Souls is what creates darkness. But to now make myself darkness itself...I must absorb one full of such. Allow me to show you..." **Darkness said as he quickly flashed near Blackheart, created a sword made of darkness, and stabbed him, shocking everyone, even Blackheart himself as the power of the sword began to overcome him. **"Now...Surrender to your own power, and become one power to the truest of darkness!" **Blackheart, for the first time, screamed in pain as he slowly diminished, becoming a source of power within Darkness, making him glow in Black and Purple as his form changed and the spirit particles from within the area exploded, causing parts of Tetra to fall apart, along with his form changing turning him from a humanoid figure into a large Shadow, which had the bottom part seeped into the ground, now in the form of Black flames and devilish arms that was covered by large Purple gauntlets. **"I am now TRUE darkness! Two powers and souls of darkness, now into one. I hold the power like Ultor and Aurora! I am the newest god; Ragnarok!" **

"Rag...narok?" Barb asked in fear while the rest of them prepared themselves, to which he noticed and did the same.

"Looks like THIS is gonna be the final battle guys! Let's put an end to this thing once and for all! For Tetra...And for the people we've lost!" Mass yelled.

"Ragnarok! You will die along with my sins!" Koda yelled as well before quickly running to him and attempted to slash Ragnarok, but the attack sent him back instead, to which it quickly lifted it's fingers and shot out lasers, hitting Koda as brutally as possible, making him scream in pure pain. He kept on getting hit until he attempted to escape by turning into a shadow, but Ragnarok quickly grabbed him with it's other hand, lifting him up while also trying to escape by stabbing his powered up sword into the armor until he was attacked by an explosion from within it's palms, making him scream and sent back to the ground, weak by the attack.

"Koda! Are you ok?" Mass asked while he ran over to him, then looked at Ragnarok. "You're not getting away with this!" He gripped on the gem, quickly ran over to him at full power with a trail of light following, and ran to it's hand in attempt to slash it, but Ragnarok quickly backhanded him, sending him into the lake while he attempted to recover but fell in.

"Mass! No!" Marine said in fear, knowing the gem is with him now, while Bolt began to shoot with his blaster as fast and best as possible at Ragnarok, to which it noticed. It then suddenly stabbed it's fingers into the ground, creating a trail of shadow spikes toward him, hitting and knocking him down next to Koda, with a now busted blaster. "This...This isn't happening..." Barb began to shake in fear, knowing he cannot fight something like it, with Marine then picking him up and held him in comfort.

**"All dreams will soon fade into darkness, and all life will disappear along with it. Surrender to it's power, and you will have all of your fears and pain relieved..." **Ragnarok said, scaring the both of them as darkness began to form around their legs, putting fear into their eyes until the Moon Spear was hurled into it, making it blast into spirit particles, to which they both looked to see it was from Mass.

"If...If YOU think we're letting that happen to us, you're OUT OF YOUR MIND!" He said in anger, then looked at Ragnarok with the gem in hand weakly. "I'm not going to stop and give up...It's the last thing I'm gonna do!" He summoned the Moon Spear back into his hands while both Bolt and Koda slowly began to get up. "We're not letting something like you ruin a world like this!"

**"You should all know that your efforts will all be for nothing. All of your puny hopes filled with hope will disappear. Darkness is now the only path left...There is no other way."**Ragnarok said while Tetra began to slowly deteriorate, to which it started showing off space.

"Your wrong!" Mass said while gripping his fists. "There's always one other path to take, no matter how hard it maybe to get it and how dim it might be...Even if darkness will still take over this world...Nothing will stop the light we have! I'll make sure of that! I'll stop you and what you're doing once and for all!" It was then, he suddenly flashed in a bright light, gaining power while spirit particles began to come out of his body, symbolizing he's slowly fading away. "That's...That was my focus all along! Not to defeat Blackheart...But to pledge to stop people like you!" He aimed the Moon Spear at him, causing his aura to glow brightly and become stronger, taking them back.

"Whoa...I've never seen him this powerful before!" Bolt said in surprise.

"Is this...The true power of his light?" Koda asked himself while Tetra was finally beginning to split apart.

"This is going to END EVERYTHING RAGNAROK!" Mass yelled before quickly running to Ragnarok with him glowing while shadow spikes were starting to chase him, but he quickly overrun them with his now enhanced speed by the sudden boost and the gem, all the while starting to run up it's body from the hands all the way to the face. He kept climbing until he got to that point and stabbed the Moon Spear inside it's head, causing Ragnarok to yell in pain while streams of light came out. He kept it there and made it a deeper stab before finally, with all of his strength, he quickly made a clean slash through it's head, splitting it into two as Ragnarok began to explode, along with Tetra finally flashing in a large portion of light, leaving it inside of it.

**_?_**

Mass slowly floated through what appeared to be darkness while he looked around, not seeing the entire party around him, and got up to see Ragnarok was exploding into spirit particles, destroying it but also left a orb of dark flames.

"Is that...The darkness?" He asked himself.

**"The very same one..." **A female voice said before two light flashed next to him, revealing to be Ultor and Aurora. **"Who would have known that such a small being could create such destruction?"**

"What should we do with it?" Mass asked in question. "We can't just let it go like this."

_"You are right. This being of chaos must be disposed of." _Ultor said while crossing his arms. _"We have attempted to multiple times, but everyone has failed." _Mass looked at the gem in his hands, wondering.

"Maybe we could try it with the gem. Maybe it'll work?" He asked in question seeing the orb grow larger.

**"You may try for experimentation...But be wary that it may regain it's full power soon." **Aurora said, in which Mass used the gems power to glow, getting the darkness's attention as it lured toward it and begun to consume it, making it glow Purple and hurting him to a unknown potential.

"AH! WHY...WHY IS IT HURTING!?" He asked until he suddenly lost it's power, making the flames slowly come out. "Why...Why is it-"

_"It must potentially be due to your soul now filled with the purest of light...It cannot accept such." _Ultor said, making Mass angry until he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, making him look to see who it was; Haruma, the real one.

"Hey mate...Let me take it over...I've been in the darkness for the longest amount of time..." He said while putting the gem in his hand, shocking Mass. "It's alright...You deserve a break after all you've done...Thank you...For all you've done back then...I've been watching you...All of us have been."

"All? What do you mean by-" Mass asked until more flashes of light appeared behind him, seeing it was his mom, Element, Coal, Mooglet, and Kory.

"...Be with them, and relax. I've got this!" Haruma said as he then made the gem glow brightly, with the flame slowly entering it, making it glow Purple along with it not hurting Haruma. The darkness then kept itself inside the gem until it died out, with it crackling and breaking down into shards before turning into dust, symbolizing the end of the darkness.

"It's...Over...Isn't it? Finally?" Mass asked until he finally began to fade away once again, showing his focus has finally been completed while light began to cover the darkness.


	20. Your Fate is Now in My Hands

_**?**_

Light has finally covered the darkness revealing there to be space with multiple asteroids while the party, with Mass not around, floated around to see everything.

"Whoa! Where are we?!" Barb asked in fear.

"I don't know! But we have to stay together!" Marine said while they also saw Shadows from every area busting into spirit particles. "Everyone just hold each other's hand!"

"Ok! Ok!" Bolt said as he held one of their hands, with everyone doing the same while he looked around. "Wait! Where's Mass?!" They quickly looked around in worry until they all saw him, floating underneath them while he was fading away. "MASS! MASS! WE'RE RIGHT HERE!"

"Chokion!" Koda yelled, with Mass looking at them with a weak but happy smile.

"Guys...It's alright! It's all going to be ok!" He said while his feet were the first to fade away into spirit particles. "I just...Want to say...Thank you...Thanks for everything you guys did! Bolt, I'm counting on you to help watch over Barb and Marine! I expect you to do that, alright?" He stared at Bolt while saying then, then looked at Barb. "Barb, I hope the best for you, you got that? You're going to be strong. Stronger than before. I guarantee that!" He then looked at Marine, who was crying as half of his body faded away. "Marine...Take care of yourself...I hope for things to get better for you." He finally faded away, leaving everybody behind.

"Mass...No...Please come back..." Barb said sadly, with Marine holding his hand in comfort until a large flash occurred, covering the entire area.

**_Tetra - Ruins of Atlantica_**

The flash of light suddenly recreated Tetra, leaving the party back into the ruins. They all looked around, seeing it was still gloomy and still had the spirit particles, but no Mass as this saddened them.

"I...I can't believe it...He's gone...He's really gone." Bolt said sadly, looking down with everyone else except Koda.

"He's...Gone...He's gone..." Marine said as she started to cry a bit, but at that moment, the spirit particles began to form near them forming something.

**"Hey...Don't cry..."**

Hearing this suddenly shocked them as the looked at the form, revealing to be Mass with a smile.

**"It's ok now...Because...It's over...And it happened...It's all over."**

The spirit particles suddenly formed into a small light, and then shot into the gloomy sky, creating a hole that revealed a clear sky making them shocked to see it also expanding.

"It's...It's beautiful..." Marine said in awe while wiping the tears off.

"He...Truly did it...He saved the world." Bolt said.

**"This is my thanks to you for all you've done...What happens in your life...Is up to you." **

"Then...That must mean all shadows have disappeared, and all life has returned to where it belongs..." Koda said until they all heard yelling in the distance, making them all look to see three figures.

"There! They're over there! Kupo~!" A voice said, revealing to be Mooglet.

"Koko! You're here!" Another said, showing it was Kory as she started running toward them.

"Kory...? Is that..." Koda asked as he slowly walked over to them, seeing her getting closer and hugged him tightly.

"Koko! I missed you!" She said until the last figure revealed itself, which shocked Marine, seeing it was Coal.

"D-Dad..." She said, making him smile.

"...Hi honey." Coal said before she quickly hugged him, making him smile while Mooglet looked around.

"Say, where's Mass? Kupo~?" It asked, making them quiet.

"He...Saved Tetra. Stopped Blackheart and the Shadows...Each and every single one of them are leaving..." Koda said before he too slowly began to fade away in spirit particles, for he was part Shadow himself. "...It is my time to leave now..." He closed his eyes and started walking away, leaving Kory sad.

"Koko...Are you leaving again?" She asked, with him looking and crouching down to her.

"...Yes...I don't want to...But I have to...It's something I have to do...But, you WILL see me again...Soon...You will understand when you're older...I promise." Koda said, making her looked down and nod sadly, before hugging her. "Stay...Safe..." He looks at the party with no emotion. "...I thank you all...For giving me the opportunity for redemtion...I can now...Rest in peace with my sins..." He then got up and walked away before he finally faded away into spirit particles, leaving Kory there in sadness.

"Goodbye...Koko...I'll see you again." She said, leaving everyone in silence.

"...What even happened here? Kupo~?" Mooglet asked in curiosity.

"We'll...Explain while we talk." Bolt said as all of them walked with each other, leaving the area alone at last.

_**One Week Later**_

Marine stood by the beach alone, staring at the harm-free ocean, which was also where Mass officially started his entire adventure. In the entirety of the past week, everyone started to rebuild everything, including Atlantica itself, recreating it entirely, along with every other city that was damaged. She stared at it in silence until there were foot steps behind her, making her look to see Bolt, who now had his robotic arm removed, and Barb.

"Hey Marine! We knew we'd find you here!" Barb said with a squeak.

"We just wanted to let you know that the airship is waiting for you." Bolt said, in which she slowly nodded. "Is something wrong?"

"...No. Everything's fine. I'm...I'm happy." Marine said with a smile, staring at the now clearer sky.

"Happy? Happy about what?" Bolt asked in question.

"Happy...Because everyone else is...That Mass is now...He...Would want me happy...So...I'll have to for his sake." She said while still staring at the sky happily. "It's happy again...No more to fear...Or anything to be angry at...It's all...Back to normal."

"Yeah...It is, isn't it?" Bolt asked while he too looked at the ocean, then back at her. "Anyway, we need you at the airship. We need help to rebuild Atlantica and make the statue for Mass in his honor."

"Yeah...I'm coming." Marine said as both Barb and Bolt left, with her following, but not before looking at the ocean one last time. _"...I love you..." _She turned around and followed them, leaving the beach while at the very same time, a spirit particle floated around, observing her before floating away into the sky, the now peaceful sky with no darkness.

**And thus, ends the Chronicles of Mass Chokion. The story in which he turned from a small mortal with no power into a savior of Tetra. While he may no longer exist from within, the story in which he was chosen by the gods themselves, will remain forever. A tale that will live forever, of the tale in which tells the story chosen; His Chosen Chronicles, the very same in which brought Tetra to what it was, once again.  
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_**X~Chosen Chronicles~X**_

_**X~The End~X**_


End file.
